Tom Thibodeau deserves a head coaching job -- the man has paid his dues, 19 years as an NBA assistant, and one of the best at it. Now it appears he is going to get to move over to the big chair.
According to the Times-Picayune, the New Orleans Hornets are going to offer their head coaching position to the Celtics star assistant.
But Thibodeau is the most popular girl at the dance right now, so the timeline for when he gets back to the Hornets is a little more complicated. First, he still has a day job and will be coaching the Celtics in the NBA Finals for another couple weeks (well, unless you believe in miracle comebacks, which we do not). Then there is the matter that Chicago now wants to interview him and New Jersey still has interest in him. The man has a number of suitors.
But the Hornets are the first to ask. And it will be hard to say no.
The Hornets have a key component -- an elite player in Chris Paul -- and some nice role players (David West, Emeka Okafor, Darren Collison). The Hornets were considered THE up-and-coming team a couple years back, but then coach Byron Scott lost the team and the injuries piled up. A little health and some of Thibodeau’s trademark defense and the Hornets can be good again.
The question is does Thibodeau take this offer, or decide to see what is behind curtain number two.