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Orlando Magic Rumors: Chicago Bulls may wait before letting Tom Thibodeau go

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Mar 25, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau reacts during a game against the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. Chicago defeated Toronto 116-103. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 25, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau reacts during a game against the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. Chicago defeated Toronto 116-103. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Chicago Bulls relationship with Tom Thibodeau has clearly deteriorated. It is not a question of it, but when. The when may not be for a while.

It may be the final nail in the coffin for hopes from the Orlando Magic and their fans to acquire or hire Tom Thibodeau to be the team’s next head coach.

Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports the Chicago Bulls may be doing the foulest thing to Tom Thibodeau possible. They appear to be holding him hostage until the other coaching jobs are closed before giving his ultimate release.

This may not be hard news, per se. It may be a perception from those coming in Thibodeau’s camp that the Bulls are going to extract every little bit of value from Thibodeau that they can before letting him go.

They have that right, of course. Thibodeau is under contract for the next two years. They do not have to let him go. And Thibodeau resigning means he does not get his compensation.

One thing is clear though, the Bulls and Tom Thibodeau cannot continue. That much has been whispered and laid bare throughout the season. Nick Friedell of ESPN.com put it in a pretty clear and compelling story of how the relationship deteriorated.

It was a relationship that fell apart thanks to Thibodeau’s hard-driving ways — his desire to coach every game like it is his last and to ensure victory at ever turn. It was a relationship that fell apart thanks to the advancement of sports science and analytics that said rest was key. Thibodeau never bought into that philosophy, he could not the way he coaches.

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    • There was undoubtedly success in Chicago for Thibodeau. All five years in Chicago restored a once-great franchise to championship-level heights (even if the team did not make the Finals).

    But it clearly was not enough. And this season the team broke apart at the seams, ending in an embarrassing Game Six loss to the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and their nemesis LeBron James.

    The Magic appeared ready and willing to wait for Thibodeau for a time. He seemed to be the perfect coach who could light a fire under this young team and take them to new heights — both to a competitive, Playoff height and, when the time came, a championship height.

    Whether Thibodeau was actually interested in the Magic (reports said he was at one time) or what the compensation the Magic were willing to pay and how realistic it would be for the Bulls to accept it may never be known. Chicago seems intent on waiting this out and trying to get as much as they can to get Thibodeau out of his contract.

    The Magic appear done waiting. They have let word leak Scott Skiles (another former Bulls coach reportedly run out of town) is their frontrunner and the job seems all but offered at this point.

    Maybe this is to get the Bulls to move faster on Thibodeau’s future. That does not seem to be the case. The Magic do not appear willing to wait anymore. The Bulls appear more willing to suck every last bit of value dry of Thibodeau until he has none left.

    It appears Orlando is ready to move on. This seems the latest sign Tom Thibodeau will not be the Magic’s coach any time soon.

    Next: Scott Skiles is the coach Elfrid Payton needs