Yup, I'm already worried (a little) about next year. I know we have to get through this year, and if we raise a banner I'll be happy with whatever. But if we don't win it all, I can't help but wonder if our top assistant might have several interested teams knocking on his door with large contract offers to become their head coach.
Consider some facts:
- The Celtics have been transformed into the best defensive team in the planet. Part of the credit goes to KG and Posey. A good deal of credit goes to Thibodeau.
- The last team Thibodeau was with, the Rockets, finished 5th in the league in opponents scoring.
- In 17 seasons as an assistant, his teams have finished in the top 10 in defense 14 times.
- Tom is getting more and more attention and name recognition as the team continues to win games.
- Tom gets a lot of credit for developing Yao Ming into a better all around player.
- Tom's contract is for just one year - "a term he reportedly sought" (Herald)
- Thebodeau interviewed for the head coaching job in Sacramento last year, so he wants to be a head coach.
You can't blame Tom for wanting to take on the challenge (and paycheck) of being a head coach in the NBA. He probably saw Boston as an opportunity to advance his career no matter what happened this year. If the team faltered, he could step in for a fired Doc Rivers. If the team did what it is doing now, he would only enjoy more success and acclaim. Win-win for him.
If I were a GM of another team unhappy with my coach, I'd be keeping a close eye on Tom and he'd be right up at the top of my list of candidates to interview at the end of the season.
There's no chance Doc isn't coming back next year. Doc only got that one year extension in the offseason, but you can bet he'll cash in this summer and there's no way he'd want to walk away from KG, Pierce, and Allen.
So our only hope is if the Celtics can somehow wrap Thibodeau up with a contract extension, probably before the season even ends (so he can't become a free agent). Perhaps he will also want to stay where he can coach KG, Posey, and the current top defensive team in the league. But there's no question they should pay him good money to stay and keep doing what he's doing.
The one thing that makes me feel a little better about him potentially leaving is the situation in Houston. The defense that he set up there is still going strong and using his system to stay in the top 5 in opponents scoring and shooting %. Maybe the Celtics (with KG still around to anchor the D) will also be able to carry on without him. I'd just rather not take that chance.