The Chicago Bulls have been mired in a slump and with Derrick Rose unleashing his frustration, many have wondered whether Tom Thibodeau has lost the locker room and whether he could be fired, as the front office has him on the hot seat and if that happens, names like Jeff Van Gundy or Mark Jackson could be options to replace him.
The Bulls come in struggling right now, having lost six of the last eight games and that has started up speculation about Thibodeau and his job security. According to Chris Sheridan, Thibodeau is on thin ice right now despite the fact that the Bulls are one of the top teams in the league. Sheridan writes that the team and Thibodeau have not always seen eye to eye on things and after adding Pau Gasol and other pieces to the roster, they could be willing to make a change mid-season.
Thibodeau has been a trade target for teams in the past and the front office has had disagreements with the head coach and that is why some would not be surprised if they made a move. According to Pro Basketball Talk, Thibodeau runs hard practices and that is one reason why the team could be breaking down and struggling a bit. Derrick Rose vented his frustrations the other night and that has led many to speculate that Thibodeau has lost the locker room.
While a change is not likely, Sheridan writes that the contract for Thibodeau will not be an issue if they want to make a move despite the fact that he has two years and about $11 million left. Sheridan writes that some players think that Thibodeau is "too hardcore" and that he runs the team "into the ground" during practices and during games. Sheridan cites some numbers, including defensive efficiency over the past few weeks as well as the play from Jimmy Butler.
Butler has been having a great season while leading the Bulls in scoring, but Sheridan writes that his points per game and shooting percentage has decreased in January compared to November and December. According to Sheridan, the team could look at some trade options on the market, but it's unlikely they make a move. Greg Monroe and Roy Hibbert could be available at the trade deadline, but the Bulls likely will stick with what they have right now.
The Bulls had a team meeting with Thibodeau and that could help get things on track, but they are about to play the Spurs and then have some western road games. The team comes in at 27-16 and while that is the same record as the Spurs, it feels different since the team has been slumping. They won 10 of 11 earlier in the season and now they are trying to get back on track. The team is ranked 15th in points allowed per game right now after being ranked number one on defense last season.