Tibs Rejects Hornets Offer

[littlegeo]

Does anyone know which teams are seeking a new coach?

Nets, Hawks, Hornets, Cavs ....

[Chris]

I was listening to Felger and Mazz yesterday, and they said something very interesting.  Someone proposed the theory that Tibs turned down the NO job, because he knew he was going to get the C's head job.  Felger's response to that was an emphatic no.  He said that he has it on good authority that the C's brass do not look at him as anything more than a great ASSISTANT coach, and have zero interest in him as a Doc replacement if he leaves.

Now, take it for what its worth, but Felger has never been the type to claim "inside information" just to put himself in the story.  He is always the first to point out what his opinion is, but he went out of his way (and seemed a bit uncomfortable with it) to point out that he has this "on good authority". 

Generally, I don't buy this stuff, but somehow, I believed him, based on the way he presented it.

[Evantime34]

If Doc leaves I know 99% of Boston fans would like Thibs as our new coach.

[Chris]

If Doc leaves I know 99% of Boston fans would like Thibs as our new coach.

I don't think that's true.  But we can see...

[wdleehi]

If Doc leaves I know 99% of Boston fans would like Thibs as our new coach.

I'm not sure.



I like coaches with head coaching experience to take over a vet team like this.  


So few coaches step into their first job and lead title contenders far in the 1st year.

[ibby]

Every coach wants to be succesful. He turned down a job to coach Chris Paul and a bunch of underachievers (remember in I think '09 people thought as assembled the Hornets were contenders). I think that he is not qualified based on what the new Nets owner seems to want. I think with Noah, Deng, And Rose he could do well introducing his philosophy in Chicago. I do however think that based on how Del Negro was treated managment is going to be very hands-on in Chicago.  I wonder if Thibs has the fortitude to stay in a place that does not seem to want to give the coach full control.

On the other hand, maybe I just don't want him to leave.

[Moranis]

Unless Thibodeau has another head coaching job lined up ... this is a very bad decision.

Maybe he doesn't want to work for an organization that wants him to give them an answer while his team is in the Finals.  That's very unprofessional, imo.  Maybe they really didn't want him in the first place.  I can't imagine a team not waiting until the Finals are over if they really wanted him.

It is a perfectly reasonable stance to take.

If the Hornets wait another 10-14 days for the Finals to end they risk other teams filling their head coaching vacancies and missing out on some of the best coaches that are currently available.

This was a huge issue two years ago when several teams wanted to interview Thibodeau but wouldn't wait until after the finals to select their head coach ... so they moved on in another direction without talking to him. It's something you regularly see teams do.

wanting an answer is different then wanting an answer and expecting him to leave his current team.

[Who]

Unless Thibodeau has another head coaching job lined up ... this is a very bad decision.

Maybe he doesn't want to work for an organization that wants him to give them an answer while his team is in the Finals.  That's very unprofessional, imo.  Maybe they really didn't want him in the first place.  I can't imagine a team not waiting until the Finals are over if they really wanted him.

It is a perfectly reasonable stance to take.

If the Hornets wait another 10-14 days for the Finals to end they risk other teams filling their head coaching vacancies and missing out on some of the best coaches that are currently available.

This was a huge issue two years ago when several teams wanted to interview Thibodeau but wouldn't wait until after the finals to select their head coach ... so they moved on in another direction without talking to him. It's something you regularly see teams do.

wanting an answer is different then wanting an answer and expecting him to leave his current team.

Did they say they wanted Thibs to leave the Celtics prior to the end of the Finals?

I haven't seen that anywhere ... only that they wanted an answer to their offer. A yes or no.

[twinbree]

Obviously Thibs knows his abilities better than I do so he probably doesn't need my advice but I look at what happened with Mike Brown and I hope he thinks hard about the players he'll be coaching before he picks his next team. Personnel is such a big part of defensive success and he doesn't want one of his strengths limited by what he has to work with.

[Rondo_is_better]

It was very divisive of the Hornets to ask for an answer on the day the finals began. They basically gave him the choice between rejecting it or really messing up the C's locker room right before the most important series of the year.

[clover]

If Doc leaves I know 99% of Boston fans would like Thibs as our new coach.

I don't think that's true.  But we can see...

I don't think so either.

[celticsclay]

What if we gave Tibs a huge pay raise as an assistant. Unless he really wants the glory that would seem to the be best of both worlds. He would get a certain amount of notereity as the highest paid assistant in the league and turning down head coaching jobs to stay. On top of that, he doesn't have a lot of the negatives a head coach has as far as answering to the media and being held responsible for failure. Makes a little sense no?

[twinbree]

What if we gave Tibs a huge pay raise as an assistant. Unless he really wants the glory that would seem to the be best of both worlds. He would get a certain amount of notereity as the highest paid assistant in the league and turning down head coaching jobs to stay. On top of that, he doesn't have a lot of the negatives a head coach has as far as answering to the media and being held responsible for failure. Makes a little sense no?

I think he's already one of the highest paid assistants in the league. I'm pretty sure I read speculation somewhere that was one of the reasons why he wasn't getting offers.

And I'm sure he much prefers being a head coach. Most people would take on added responsibilities and stress easily for a higher position.

[xmuscularghandix]

If Doc leaves I know 99% of Boston fans would like Thibs as our new coach.

I don't think that's true.  But we can see...

I don't think so either.

Me neither.

[Hoops]

I expect that the Hornets probably low balled him.

If TT is looking at a below average salary, and a terribly constructed roster that is on the down slope, I can see why he's hesitant to take the job, especially when they're giving him ultimatums.

As a potential employee, I'd be really hesitant to commit to an organization that "wanted" me so badly (tongue in cheek) that they gave me an ultimatum right during the middle of the Finals. It's almost like they were hoping he would reject the offer so they could give it to (apparently) Monty Williams in Portland. Smart move to pass, IMO.

Like others have said, they must've low-balled him. And the reason they're rushing now is because Williams is also an assistant looking for his first head-coaching gig and they're surely going to low-ball him too. Nothing against Thibs, but it seems like the Hornets are way more concerned about saving money than they are about getting the very best coach available (even though they may not be mutually exclusive).