Any Chance Thibodeau Is Back Next Year?

There’s m no doubt that Tom Thibodeau is a “keeper”. But with the rising success of the Celtics and the simultaneous vindication of Doc as a top echelon coach, what can Tom hope to gain from the Celtics?

Just speculating, but how long will this incredible run last for the Celtics before age and injury once again humble this franchise. Perhaps this is a one year, two year or three year run of credibility. Then what?

At some point we need to be rebuilding for the future, but alas, we’ve traded away our first round draft choices. Will we be able to retain Pollard? Do we want to? How about Posey whose stellar play has not gone unnoticed by other teams with money to spend? Will we be a one year wonder as a team or will other aging stars flock to us for a last chance at glory? How long can we continue to play the “geriatric” game?

…and when the time comes for rebuilding… perhaps 2 or three years from now…will Doc want to again undergo the “humiliation” of losing seasons?

What we can offer Tom, at best, is the assurance that in three years, perhaps two years hence, when Doc has had enough, that he’ll get that head coaching position. Will he want to inherit the ashes of a once great team or would he instead look elsewhere having seen better “pieces” to work with?

If this team must once agin be rebuilt through the draft, will Danny Ainge still be with us to exercise his drafting genius? Alas, it would appear that Tom Thibodeau has better options elsewhere…but ownership could surprise us once again as they did when they put a fegling GM (Danny Ainge) on the throne because he had a new “vision” that most of us doubted!

I’m going to say it right now …. I think there is zero chance Tom T gets a head coaching job next season.

He’ll get some publicity, some recommendations and maybe a few interviews but I don’t see anyone giving him a job. He hasn’t paid his dues yet. Assitants go through years of being a favourite for new jobs without ever getting the gig. Tom has another year or two to pay first. He hasn’t been in the GM’s eyes long enough yet. He’s wanted a head coaching gig for a few years now and several in the media have openly pined for him to get a chance (Rick Barry for one) and nobody has come close to even considering him for the top job. He isn’t there yet.

Zero chance of being a head coach next year. Doesn’t mean he won’t leave though …..

Are you kidding? There is a 100% chance that Thibodeau will get at least one head coaching offer next year. Isn’t 17 years as an NBA assistant dues enough? What dues did Sam Vincent pay?

The only question is whether or not he’s willing to leave an upper echelon team to go to a rebuilding situation (e.g. Minnesota or Miami).

It will be interesting to see how the Celtics perform defensively after his departure.

Sam Vincent had his ties to MJ …. there’s nobody in the league that will go out on a limb for Tom T

For 17 years he has been out there and nobody bit on him. They’re not going to now either.

I’m telling you right now …. no chance Tom T gets a head coaching gig next year. At best he gets an interview.

It will be interesting to see how the Celtics perform defensively after his departure.

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No, it’ll be scary.

It’s no coincidence that with Thibodeau came a real NBA defense. What was played the prior 3 seasons was an absolute embarassment.

Rick Carlisle and Jeff Van Gundy are going to be the two most sought after coaches on the market.

Dean Demopoulos should be third and will be the most sought after assistant. He’s ready and has been on the lips of various GMs for a couple of years now.

He’ll be back with the Celtics, as far as Head Coaching prospects I’m sure he might interview, but Tom is NOT HEAD COACHING MATERIAL sad to say … not for the NBA…maybe for College… but not for the NBA…..

Here’s my reasoning and you may agree or disagree. Tom is a very straight and narrow person. He’s more of the Bill Fitch type. He’s the X’s and O’s guy….. This use to work years ago….1960’s 70’s and 80’s for that matter…

But today’s game has changed, the players are very raw, unnurished sort to speak and they require more attention, someone who can relate to them just not on the court but off the court as well.

Back in the hay day, Red was able to do it all, because he could. There was no National Media or Internet like it is today. Technology has changed so much and they rely on it with the scouting reports more so now a days.

Tom is a great guy behind the scenes, but his make-up for a Head Coaching job is not there. Maybe I’m wrong on that and maybe his body language suggests that he can, It works for Pat Riley and Phil Jackson but they have the PERSONA to go with it.

Everyone would like a shot a being a head coach, but are they Head Coaching Material, do they have the make-up and the grind necessary…. do they know how to deal with the media and the public…. Would he be razzled if by long losing streaks, things of that nature….

It’s hard to tell…we look at Assistant Coaches and we hold them at a higher standard than a Head Coach because they are behind the scenes and they are nice guys….. But once they become a Head Coach they are looked upon differently… some make it…and some don’t… case in point…. in the 80’s Jimmy Rogers…. nice guy… great assistant coach…but he was not Head Coaching Material….. He didn’t have the people skills necessary

He will get a chance next year. Say there are some teams who have enough offensive talent but still lose, this guy would do wonders for a team like that. For example denver, even dallas could fire avery if they get eliminated in the playoffs quickly again

I think it depends on if the C’s win the title. I think he’ll immediately get a job if that were to happen.

Yes, coaches on successful teams are in the spotlight. The Celtics this year will be much more successful than any of the teams that JVG coached in Houston or NY (with Thibodeau as his lead assistant). And other GMs have seen the Celtics’ huge improvement on defense, and when they break down film, they will see that Thibodeau’s schemes have alot to do with it.

Oh come on! Doc will rise to the occasion in Thibodeau’s absent should he get a head coaching job! What a scary thought. Plead lock up Thibodeau now for next year and then let Doc go.

Thibs move was smart. He had no idea how GPA was going to gell and what level his defense would be bought into (by players and coaches). It has worked well. Now, due to the success of the C’s, he’s in a great position to get a raise, either with Boston, with some other team, or as a head coach.

As for the head coach canidacy: I’m not sold. Jim Obrien/Dick Harter made a great impression as a head coach built on defense, but he didn’t last long in Phili. I’m not sure he’s a great hot commodity for the top job somewhere. Time will tell. Either way now is not the time to worry about it.

Yes he goes just as Pats offensive coach goes. He seems like a good guy, a local guy so why not. Onward and upward. BUUUUUTTTTT…it’s KG, first and foremost and he’ll still be here.

It is evident that the Cs are working harder on defense this year. Probably a combination of Thibodeau’s schemes and the presence of Garnett and Posey and the others buying into Coach
Thibodeau’s system. If there is a team that is under achieving on the defensive end I think he would get a look as a head coach.

17 years and a positive track record in 14 of those years. Wow! I wonder why he has been overlooked so far by so many teams who should have jumped at him according to his success. any hint why this guy has ben past over all these years?

tom t reminds me of belichek when he was defensive coordinator for the giants; a man doing great things waiting for the right time. bellichek didn’t make it in cleveland because management didn’t give him the open reign. likewise. tom t. you need the right org. to let you do your thing. hope the c’s keep him. if not, i will root for his success.

If we have a truly great season and we will …. it’s likely Doc is going to get a lot of the credit. He’ll be a candidate for his second CoY award and have turned around the franchise. It’ll be a great story and it will be written about, with Doc getting the credit.

Some will notice Tom T’s contribution but the overwhelming amount of the credit will go to Doc.

Just look at how long PJ Carlesimo took to get out of Pop’s shadow and he had coaching experience. How many of Phil Jackson’s assistants have gotten head coaching jobs? How about Riley? SVG was on that bench for 8 years being ignored around the league.

More so than ever before, teams are hesitant on hiring Head Coaches without experience because of the money and media pressure involved.

Also going back to Ancient Red’s[/i] comment, a lot of those thoughts have been written by writers about Tom T’s questionable personality for leading a franchise as a Head Coach. Love him as an assistant but not so sure of him as a Head Coach. After all, not all assistants are capable of being a Head Coach.

Freeease1 said:
  17 years and a positive track record in 14 of those years. Wow! I wonder why he has been overlooked so far by so many teams who should have jumped at him according to his success. any hint why this guy has ben past over all these years?

Great point, and this goes to Ancient Red’s comment. That can change, but not overnight. It’s too soon for Tom T to rise that far that quickly.

Unless of course he goes the Sam Vincent route with a friend in the GM chair like [i]Brickowski pointed out. But Tom T has been here 17 years, where’s his friends? JVG? Who else? players?

Doesn’t look for his head coaching opportunities next season.