Orlando Magic Rumors: Tom Thibodeau leads Orlando Magic coaching list
With rumors running rampant about Tom Thibodeau’s future. The Orlando Magic appear to be biding their time and waiting. But a list and a plan are set.
As noted previously, the Orlando Magic appear perfectly willing to wait through their coaching search. And there is no reason for them to rush with just one other competitor for head coaching jobs and the mystery of Tom Thibodeau yet to be resolved.
Do not let that slowness be confused for inactivity. The Magic are likely going through their list, doing research and preparing for formal interviews. Perhaps even talking with representatives through back channels.
It does seem that the Magic are zeroing in on some candidates. Well, maybe one candidate.
The Bulls and Tom Thibodeau are somewhat dictating the speed of the Magic’s coaching search. And it appears the Magic are zeroing in on Tom Thibodeau, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.
"The Magic are said to be very high on the idea of Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau should he be made available by the Bulls, who have been rumored to be looking at a change once their season ends. The runner-up candidate, according to sources, is recently fired Thunder coach Scott Brooks, with Golden State Warriors assistant Alvin Gentry said to be in the mix as well if Thibodeau doesn’t pan out. Thibodeau signed a four-year extension back in 2012, which added four years after the 2012-2013 option the Bulls had already picked up. It’s believed the Bulls would seek some level of compensation for letting Thibodeau out of the balance of his deal; however, given where things stand with the front office, that compensation may not be as hefty as some others have nabbed.The nature of that compensation is what may push Orlando out of the process, assuming the Bulls follow through with a coaching change."
For now, there is no reason for the Magic to move any faster. If they feel Thibodeau is their guy, they will wait for him. And there is not any reason not to.
And if Alvin Gentry is their third guy, they might as well wait for the Warriors to get eliminated from the Playoffs too before moving too far forward. As long as neither the Bulls nor the Warriors make it that far.
The Thibodeau rumors seem really to be heating up and the writing appears on the wall that Thibodeau and the Bulls will be parting ways.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports the Bulls seemingly cannot wait to be rid of Thibodeau. Wojnarowski cites one scout who said an assistant coach was afraid his office was being monitored, somehow, by management.
"For everything Rose has done to evolve, it will forever be a failure of management, and, yes, Thibodeau too, that they couldn’t grow themselves. They became more entrenched, more embittered, more toxic. When a visiting scout visited the Bulls practice facility in the past year or so, he had the opportunity to watch the awkward, strange interplay between Bulls general manager Gar Forman and Thibodeau. Eventually, the man walked into the office of an assistant coach and asked: “What the hell is the deal here?”Before answering, the coach turned his fan on full blast. For the visitor, everything was becoming even stranger. He gave the assistant a befuddled look, as though to say, “What are you doing?”“I’m not taking any chances,” the coach said, refusing to risk the possibility of those walls being bugged."
That is a relationship that cannot continue.
So it seem the Magic are right to wait and keep reviewing their list and preparing for interviews toward the end of the month, after the Draft Combine or even at next week’s Draft Combine.
It seems the Magic are certain Thibodeau is the guy they want to go after and they seem willing to wait for him.
Of course, the Bulls hold the cards. They still have Thibodeau under contract. And they will ask for compensation to allow the Magic to negotiate with Thibodeau.
Patience seems to be the thing when it comes to the coach. But it also appears the Magic do have a plan and a list for how to proceed.