Lets Get Avery Johnson Now

I just hope he doesn't take the year off. Who else would we get then?

Saturday Sun-Times said Tom Thibodeau (Boston Celtics) could possibley be interviewed.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketball/bulls/942896,dantoni051008.article

Bears4ever,

His name has been mentioned alot recently, unfortunately I don't know much about him.

What could you tell me about him that would spark my interest? I mean is he the #1 assistant, run the practice, work with the bigs, guards? What is his specialty? And i hope he isn't a players coach, that's the last thing this group needs.

I know Johnson is "proven", but an experienced assistant would have to be the way to go if the Bulls don't want to pay Johnson 6 mill per.

Jazzman,

I respect your point, but I feel that the Bulls have a very good young group of guys. Look how far they went in the past. They are older and wiser now, and they just need the right leader. I really do not care who the coach is as long as Paxson gets a strong leader that the players respect. A coach who knows hw to develope as well as knows the X's and O's. Roster changes will occur no matter what, but I like many of the players we have.

ginney,

I read that story somewhere else. I do think that Avery is alot like Skiles in many ways. You have to remember who coached the Mavericks before Avery did. Don Nelson was in many ways the opposite of Avery Johnson. The players were most likely so used to playing no defense that over time Avery wore them out. I think that Avery would be respected by the Bulls players and that he might not be quite as demanding on a young developing team. He is still my first choice.

Chi-Town Cliff -

I understand they played well in the past and threatened the Pistons in the '07 playoffs.  But, I do not trust players who can be distracted by their contract talks, quit on their coach, and regress indivividually as players.  Yes, I agree they need the right coach.  And, I'm sure the roster changes are coming, but they have to be the right changes.  And, after being a Paxson fan, I am no longer sure he can pull off the trade(s) required to make those changes.

Ginney -

What I do know about Thibodeau is he is the Celtics Defensive Coach, a la Johnny Bach with the old MJ/Phil Jackson Bulls.  The fact that the Celtics did trade for the Def. POY in Kevin Garnett would make a coach look good.  If Michael Curry is the guy Paxson wants, I  am good with that.  As you know, I was opposed to D'Antoni, not excited by Carlisle, nor impressed with Avery Johnson.  Actually, if an experienced coach is called for, I would go for Jeff Van Gundy.  But absent an experienced coach, I also know that the right assistant when given that chance can be a revelation.

I know we all want the Bulls to be more than a playoff team, but a team that can actually challenge for a title.  What I am afraid of is that we are good enough to reach or just miss the playoffs, and not bad enough to draft a player that truly is a difference maker. 

Jazzman,

I agree with you on most accounts. John Paxson is slowly starting to piss me off. I can't blame him to much. I think Jerry has a lot of say as to what happens on the Bulls. More then most owners do. I just read that Paxson is not planning on interviewing Avery Johnson. A little strange that he is not going to at least interview him. If Paxson knows who he wants as a Head Coach I wish he would hire him before the lottery.

As far as players go I would keep Joakim Noah, Thabo Sefolosha, Drew Gooden, Luol Deng, and Andres Nocioni. Everyone else in my book I could get over losing. Kirk Hinrich could still prove to be a solid point, but he wines to much for me. I wish he would just keep his mouth piece in his mouth, stop complaining, and play ball.

As far as not wanting the Bulls to be in the middle of the pack for years to come, wouldn't Paxson signing Pau Gasol have changed the Bulls outlook. I was sick that Jerry would not take on Gasol's contract. That was a trade we should have made.

If Paxson never signed Ben Wallace and kept Tyson, and then made the Gasol trade we would be in a different boat right now. Funny how a few missteps change the coarse of a team. I hope it is not to late to turn things around.

Fine post. You took the words right out of my mouth. The coach of the Bulls next year really doesn't matter that much. The star that will lead them to their next appearance in an NBA Finals isn't on the roster. Until he is, everything else is irrelevant.

Jazzman,

Thanks.  That was exactly the response I was looking for.  But I can't take credit, I ripped it from Mac, Jurko, and Harry's "love parents" section. 

How can the Bulls aquire a star player when Reinsdorf AND Paxon have gone on record as saying they will not mortgage the future and go into the luxury tax threshold to do so.

AND, by not doing so, they will mortgage the future anyway. I can't understand why a few mill into the luxury tax will hurt a franchise with a fanbase such as the Bulls.

The Bulls organization has enough money to bring in that quality star, but continues to sell us short, because the UC is always full. I realize this is a business, but 11 out of 14 years of lottery appearances should change some peoples way of doing business.