It may not come as a surprise to anyone following this bitter saga, but it looks all but certain the five-year relationship between the Chicago Bulls and head coach Tom Thibodeau is nearing its end.
People close to Thibodeau are convinced the Bulls will part ways with him once the season is over, reports Zach Lowe of Grantland.
Similar sentiments were reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, who described the relationship between Thibodeau and Bulls general manager Gar Forman as moving past the point of repair.
The list of grievances between Thibodeau and Foreman include three notes of contention. The two parties have butted heads over playing time, the firing of assistant head coach Ron Adams and a contract extension that Thibodeau left unsigned, reports Lowe.
Thibodeau has enjoyed tremendous success in his Chicago tenure, overseeing the development of several stars, including Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson and most recently, Nikola Mirotic. Thibodeau has also guided his team to the postseason in each of his five seasons. Most importantly, Thibodeau has helped the Bulls establish a well-earned identity as a defense-first team.
However, Thibodeau does have a tendency to overwork his players, which some have linked to the Bulls' propensity for injuries. Noah and Rose are two of the most visible examples of players who have sustained major injuries during Thibodeau's tenure.
Thibodeau will be highly sought after this summer as there's no shortage of coaching vacancies around the league. As for the Bulls, reports suggest their top choice to replace Thibodeau is Iowa State head coach Fred Hoiberg.
