5 reasons Minnesota Timberwolves must hire Tom Thibodeau
By John Buhler
4. Thibodeau has something to prove.
Even though he took his Bulls teams to the Eastern Conference Playoffs five straight seasons with often-injured rosters, that wasn’t enough for the disgruntled members of the Chicago front office to keep Thibodeau after losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 of the 2015 Eastern Conference Semifinals.
During the final months of Thibodeau’s tenure in Chicago, it was about as acrimonious of a relation one coach could have with a front office. It was especially odd given that the 2014-15 Bulls were a sneaky-good pick to win the 2015 NBA Finals. That was before the Golden State Warriors happened, obviously.
It was somewhat of a bitter smear campaign between Thibodeau and the Chicago front office. Management hated how Thibodeau overplayed his players in his all-out, all-the-time defensive philosophy. The constant friction between both parties was particularly difficult to witness on a team that had legitimate championship aspirations.
What Minnesota would be getting if they do the smart thing and hire Thibodeau is a coach that will inspire his team to claw tooth and nail for a victory every night the Timberwolves take to the hardwood. Minnesota’s young roster is exciting and Thibodeau has something to prove.
Frankly, this could be a better marriage between team and coach than what Thibodeau could have had in Chicago. Minnesota management couldn’t possibly undercut him as badly as did the eerily dysfunctional Chicago front office.
Next: 3. Perfect for Timberwolves' young roster.