Chooo Chooo! (Sorry, I couldn't resist. Just a funny picture.)
One of the best ways to thank this group of guys that did a mostly thankless job is to show them the money. Mark Murphy reports:
The stickier issue may arise with his assistants, all of whom have deals that expire at the end of this month. Tom Thibodeau may not have received any head coaching opportunities - or job interviews - but there isn’t a team in the league that wouldn’t love to add his defensive expertise. You go right down the line in that way - Armond Hill with his offensive schemes, Kevin Eastman as the workout guy and Clifford Ray for the phenomenal job he has done with the Celtics’ young big men.
Call it the price of success, but the Celtics are about to pay a lot more for their coaching expenses.
I agree. Pay them all. You can't put a price on what Thibodeau brought to this team. You can't argue with the results that Clifford Ray has gotten with the big men (from Al Jefferson to Perk to Powe and Baby). The other two (Eastman and Hill) get a lot less press here, but I'm sure they were just as valuable in their own way.
I like the classy move that Doc has made in the past weeks, talking up his assistants as great head coaching candidates. I'm sure some of them could be someday. But as a greedy fan of the Celtics, I want them all to stay for at least one more year. And in Tom's case, I'd like to see him sign a 50 year, no-option-of-leaving contract.
Thank you Armond Hill.
Thank you Kevin Eastman.
Thank you Clifford Ray.
Thank you Tom Thibodeau.