Fred Hoiberg Has A Deal To Coach The Chicago Bulls
Fred Hoiberg has a deal to coach the Chicago Bulls, according to NBC Sports. The deal is a five-year agreement that is believed to be worth upwards of $25 million. The rumored contract will undoubtedly put to rest the worst kept secret in the NBA this season. The Bulls wanted Hoiberg, and he in turn wanted to coach the team that he played for between 1999 and 2003.
Hoiberg replaces Tom Thibodeau, who was fired after he coached the Bulls for five seasons.
There is a gold standard for Hoiberg to follow if he wants to have a successful tenure with the team.
The coach he replaces leaves with a 255-139 record on the sidelines. That is a win percentage of 0.647. Thibodeau guided the Bulls to five consecutive playoff appearances, including a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Fred Hoiberg has a deal to coach the Bulls, and he must step into some ginormous shoes.
He should know exactly what he is getting himself into. Coaching the Chicago Bulls, a team with a sterling tradition, is his dream job. There is no doubt that he has studied everything about them. This includes the current roster, the health status of the players, and what it will take for the team to get better.
Trust that Hoiberg has a deal that gives him clarity on everything involving the organization. He will get everything that he needs in order to make the Bulls successful. That is a stark contrast to his processor, Tom Thibodeau. This is perhaps due to the fact that Hoiberg already has a strong relationship with Bulls general manager Gar Forman.
It was their relationship that led to the reports that the Iowa State coach would take the job if it was offered to him. The rapport also led to the assertion that a coaching alternative is available when and if the brain trust of Thibodeau, Forman, and vice president John Paxson were to become damaged beyond repair. Which, predictably, it did.
And now, after the firing of Coach Thibodeau, Fred Hoiberg has a deal in place to hopefully take the Bulls further than they have gone since the 1998 season.
The specifics to the Fred Hoiberg hiring have not been made public just yet, and neither has the official word on his hiring. What has been put to rest is the local nightmare that has gone national thanks to how the Bulls upper management handled the firing of Coach Thibodeau. Thibodeau deserved a better sendoff.
Rarely does Jerry Reinsdorf, the Chicago Bulls chairman, speak in public. When he does, it is always a head turner. His statements after the firing of Coach Thibodeau was unprecedented. Reinsdorf’s statements unveiled the type of turmoil that was going behind the closed curtains of the Chicago Bulls. It makes you curious about what was really happening inside the organization.
“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.
“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.”
Fred Hoiberg has a deal in place with the Chicago Bulls to try and reverse that culture. He is the second Iowa State coach (Tim Floyd being the first) to replace an iconic figure. Here’s hoping that he has much better success.
[Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images]
