It’s a no brainer.
Bulls GM Gar Forman confirmed during a press conference Tuesday the team will pick up the option on Tom Thibodeau’s contract for next season. From the AP:
Forman says Thibodeau is “one of the finest coaches in the league” and the Bulls are “hopeful he’ll be our coach long term.”
Thibodeau has been a success — 112-36 in two regular seasons, one trip to the conference finals and one Coach of the Year award — not just because he has Derrick Rose but also because he got the team to buy into a defensive mindset at the other end of the floor. He had the team playing well without Rose.
Which he’s going to have to do next season with Rose out until late December at the earliest. Maybe eventually Thibodeau’s grinding style will wear out its welcome with Bulls players, but we are a long way from then.