What if they're promising Scott a higher position in the organization? I could see them saying to Byron "We'll make you team VP (or VP of Operations or something)." Yes, it's a big stretch, but its the only scenario that would make sense in terms of the Lakers loyalty and support the rumor.
This is the only thing I see happening. There's not a chance in hell that the team fires Scott right now. No way it happens. The only way this rumor MIGHT make sense (and I don't buy it since this is the only guy reporting it) is if Scott remains with the team in another position higher up in the organization.
Completely agree. As much as I dislike Scott as a coach, I don't want to see him done dirty like that. Scott is a placeholder coach anyway. This team, even if all goes fantastic this offseason (We draft Okafor and Justin Anderson, sign Middleton, and resign Lin and Ed Davis) we will still be a 2-3 seasons away from really contending. We aren't going to hire our 4th coach in 4 seasons. At some point (if we aren't already there) no one will want to come coach here because they know their leash is beyond short...like they don't even have a leash....the Lakers just hold the collar directly. If this team was on the cusp and had veterans that were capable of winning it next season, I would consider doing something that drastic. But because there will be long-term repercussions to being that ruthless, we won't do that to coach a 40 win team to 45 wins.
I'll take him as our defensive coach. Seemed to work out well for him in Boston. Take a break from the stress of being head coach.
i think Thibs' agent is just using the Lakers as a bargaining chip...you know, like how all FA players do?
Ya...the usual name dropping stunt. If it were to happen, the irony of having Thibodeau coaching against that guy and his across the hall.
ESPN 710 has Ramona Shelbourne on and they are all pretty much ripping this one apart. They are confirming that this is an agent planted story and the Laker front office has no plans to get rid of Byron.
I could see dumping Byron for Popovich, but Thibs? What's he won that makes him the Messiah? And to have to trade assets for him, c'mon
classic case of thibs agent probably using the lakers as leverage there's no way they're hiring thibs with scott still under contract and there's also no way he's taking an assistant position. byron will be the head coach in 15-16
Exactly what I thought. Thibs is the best coach we've had a shot at since we screwed up the D'antoni over Phil decision. Byron is family, no need to be classless about it & fire him or make someone an assistant. Give him a position in the FO that he can hold onto for 15-20 years instead of finishing out his contract as a placeholder coach.
That's all fine and dandy if Scott didn't want to coach. Byron Scott likes coaching and this is his dream job. I don't think he'd take a front office job. He'd likely walk and try to find another coaching gig. Let's be honest. Thibs is a great defensive coach, no doubt about it. But I'm starting to wonder if he may be like Wade Phillips in the NFL. Make him defensive coordinator and he can give you a top 5 defense. Make him in charge of both sides of the ball and managing all the egos, he fails. Let's be honest. They have Rose, Butler, Gasol...they have offensive stars who are dynamic, high offensive IQ and flat out gifted. Yet their offense was unwatchable at times.
I don't entirely agree with that. They didn't have much time to play with each other. I think they played a total of 45 games together, and Rose missed a lot of games toward the end of the season. He's also just not the same player he used to be. He has been and was very average this season so to me, Rose, Butler, and Gasol aren't really a trio of dynamic, gifted stars. Rose has been average since his return. This is Butler's first season as a legitimate offensive option, and he admitted that this affected his game negatively because he kept thinking too much about offense rather than letting the game come to him. He also admitted that his defense has not been good this season because of it. Then, you have an old Gasol. That does not sound like the makings of a good offensive team. That sounds like an average offensive team to me, and the Bulls were ranked #11. Noah, who was on the all-nba team last year, also regressed a good amount this season.
The Chicago Bulls are giving increasing consideration to firing coach Tom Thibodeau and absorbing the corresponding financial hit, according to league sources. Sources told ESPN.com that the prospect of Chicago simply terminating its highly successful but often contentious relationship with Thibodeau, as the days pass, is growing in likelihood, even with nearly $9 million left on the coach's contract over the next two seasons. The reality, sources say, is that the Bulls believe there is little chance they would have to pay that whole amount, since league rules on coaching contracts would inevitably see that figure reduced by set-off provisions once Thibodeau lands a new job. http://espn.go.com/chicago/nba/stor...increasing-consideration-firing-tom-thibodeau This is interesting too me for various reason. Let's just say that every team has filled their vacany; Thibs gets fired, but he doesn't land a job and sits on the sidelines this summer. The Lakers revamp their roster this season. We make the playoff's, we're going into free agency with the ability to sign 2 max players; we're a hot destination again, should we pursue Thibs? Byron would have coached 2 seasons completely. We could eat 1 year of his contract. Thibs is an upgrade. Mind you, I'm not the biggest Thibs fan; just looking ahead at the possibilities...
They're going to fire him in anticipation that he gets another job this summer. Then the league compensates Chicago a little bit for the firing so the Bulls don't lose much money. That's the way I see read that. In that case, Thibodeau isn't sitting out a year. If he's got a shot to coach Davis or a shot to make around 10 million in Orlando, why wait a year for the Lakers?
I see very little chance we make the playoffs this offseason because there is no FA available to team with our VERY young core that can make a 30 win difference. So if we make the playoffs this next season, Scott will have EARNED his job.
