Tom Thibodeau just signed up with the Minnesota Timberwolves in a unique position as their new head coach and president. Is the fifth overall pick on the draft (plus some player assets) worth Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson for the ex-Bulls coach?
Jimmy Butler is at the center of a Bulls controversy right now. Some claim he disrupted the locker room chemistry by claiming the mantle of team leader. Others say he forced nice-guy Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg‘s hand into adapting the new pace-and-space offense to a slower and more deliberate half-court ISO game to allow him (and Pau Gasol) to put up numbers.
It might really serve the Bulls better to trade him while his value is still gold to restore the balance of things.
The after-the-season media conference by GarPax revealed several hints on where the team will be going-and even Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf endorsing the Bulls front office to take “aggressive measures” to implement changes to the team. That can mean anything from getting a marquee All-Star free agent to trading away players who cannot adapt to Fred Hoiberg’s new offense, like Butler.
Enter Tom Thibodeau as the newly-signed coach-president of the Minnesota Timberwolves. He might be one option for shopping Butler (and Taj Gibson) around to get some good pieces for the Bulls.
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Does it sound a little crazy, especially after Thibodeau’s departure from Chicago? It should.
But, the last thing Thibs would do is build Minnesota from young players via the draft, even with defense-oriented talent available like Marquese Chriss, Nigel Hayes, Taurean Prince or Malcolm Brogdon.
He might trade for a chance at young defensive players with team assets like Zach LaVine.
Plus, he lobbied for the Bulls to draft Draymond Green in the 2013 draft, but GarPax picked Marquis Teague.
You know where that story goes.
If Thibodeau prefers lockdown athletic defenders and chooses to groom them into scorers for his team via the draft, then he could find his own Jimmy Butler or Luol Deng to help them become All-Stars, along with helping another Joakim Noah become Defensive Player of the Year.
But, Thibodeau will likely be looking to shore up his Minnesota lineup with veteran players the way Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge put together his championship team when Thibodeau was in Boston during 2008.
With a bigger role in Minnesota now, he might be interested in getting Bulls players already familiar with his system like Butler and Gibson and trade away assets like Ricky Rubio, Tyus Jones and even their fifth pick in the lottery if he found the trade of equal value with getting both Butler and Gibson into his fold.
Even LaVine might be up for grabs if the price was right because of his defensive liabilities.
If the Bulls don’t like LaVine if packaged with a trade, they can trade him to another team for picks or a backup guard if they consummate any Butler exchange with the Timberwolves.
If Butler passes the team physical, given his existing knee injury, he might find a new home with Thibodeau more suited to his style of play; half-court set ISO ball. The Bulls stand to gain an assortment of assets which they may keep depending on GarPax and Hoiberg’s assessment or they may trade up the draft or for other cog players.
Next: Hey, good for you, Thibs
No matter how you look at it, Tom Thibodeau getting a new gig in Minnesota offers the Bulls an unlikely, but intriguing chance to move some pieces around and find what they need for next year.
“Aggressive moves” might just be the right admonition from the Bulls top brass.