CHICAGO -- The first full day of basketball business after the symbolic end of the Tom Thibodeau era in Chicago came and went, and Thibodeau remained head coach of the Bulls.
Given how deeply entrenched both sides are -- and the personalities and moving parts involved -- this figures to be the case for a while.
Thibodeau made clear Thursday night after the Bulls were eliminated from the playoffs what should have been obvious to everyone: He isn't quitting and walking away from two years and approximately $9 million.
"Until they tell me I'm not, I expect to be here," Thibodeau said.
On the other side of this contractual and psychological tug of war are Bulls GM Gar Forman and VP John Paxson, who at this point will not fire Thibodeau and let him walk to another NBA city without compensation. In fact, multiple league sources told CBSSports.com Friday that the Bulls' front office isn't even compelled to engage in compensation talks with any teams that are interested in their coach until they have a commitment from a replacement who excites them, multiple league sources told CBSSports.com.
Atop that list is Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg, who league sources say would check all the boxes for the Bulls, including fixing the team's inconsistent -- and against the Cavs in Game 6, ineffective -- offense. But with Hoiberg only two years into a 10-year, $20 million deal with the Cyclones -- and with strong family roots in Ames and having undergone recent heart procedures -- there is strong doubt among NBA front office sources that he'd be inclined to make the jump.
"He can leave whenever he wants," one front-office source said. "Why now?"
Warriors assistant Alvin Gentry, a respected offensive coach, is among the names on the Bulls' radar. But sources say Gentry -- and anyone else not named Hoiberg -- will have to pass a difficult litmus test that includes not only being the right fit, but also dynamic enough to justify letting Thibodeau out of his deal.
"What is Tom going to do, be angry?" another front office source said. "What's different about that?"
Front office sources believe that if Hoiberg could be had, the Bulls would jump at the opportunity to then leverage the other head coaching openings -- New Orleans, Denver and Orlando, at the moment -- to extract draft-pick compensation for Thibodeau. But one thing the Bulls won't do, according to league sources, is let Thibodeau out of his contract for compensation without knowing they have a replacement who excites them.
"That ain't happening," one of the people said.
The point is, most people wrestling with how and when the Thibodeau divorce with the Bulls happens are getting the variables backwards. First comes the replacement, then the compensation talks for the embattled -- and in demand -- Thibodeau.
As for New Orleans, which fired Monty Williams this week with an eye toward the possibility that Thibodeau will be available, the outcome depends on who is making the decision. If it is GM Dell Demps' call, league sources question whether Demps would want to embark on another potentially contentious coach-GM relationship. Williams is highly regarded, defensive-minded and headstrong -- much like Thibodeau.
If the decision rests with executive VP Mickey Loomis, brought over from the Saints by owner Tom Benson, it adds an element of unpredictability to the equation. If former Pistons executive Joe Dumars assumes a prominent decision-making role with the Pelicans after advising the team for the past few months, sources say Michigan State coach Tom Izzo would be at the top of the list -- though Izzo has consistently rebuffed NBA overtures and is believed to be unlikely to leave East Lansing.
So as the Bulls and Thibodeau venture down the road to divorce, they better check the GPS for traffic. In Chicago and elsewhere, there's a lot of it.
