It’s been discussed for a while but now it’s official. The Chicago Bulls have officially fired head coach Tom Thibodeau.
There’s been a lot of talk about differences between Thibodeau and the Bulls front office. Thibodeau finished with a 255-139 record over five seasons with the team.
Like everyone else, Thibodeau knew it was coming and will still collect the $9 million due on his contract.
He’s reportedly set to be replaced by Fred Hoiberg although that is not official yet.
In a statement, Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said:
“The Chicago Bulls have a history of achieving great success on and off the court. These accomplishments have been possible because of an organizational culture where input from all parts of the organization has been welcomed and valued, there has been a willingness to participate in a free flow of information, and there have been clear and consistent goals.
“While the head of each department of the organization must be free to make final decisions regarding his department, there must be free and open interdepartmental discussion and consideration of everyone’s ideas and opinions. These internal discussions must not be considered an invasion of turf, and must remain private. Teams that consistently perform at the highest levels are able to come together and be unified across the organization-staff, players, coaches, management and ownership. When everyone is on the same page, trust develops and teams can grow and succeed together. Unfortunately, there has been a departure from this culture.
“To ensure that the Chicago Bulls can continue to grow and succeed, we have decided that a change in the head coaching position is required. Days like today are difficult, but necessary for us to achieve our goals and fulfill our commitments to our fans. I appreciate the contributions that Tom Thibodeau made to the Bulls organization. I have always respected his love of the game and wish him well in the future.”
