Sources: Del Negro firing closer

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Sources: Del Negro firing closer

Comment Email Print Share By Chris Broussard
ESPN The Magazine
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The decision to fire head coach Vinny Del Negro has already been made, according to sources with knowledge of the Chicago Bulls' thinking. The fact that the Bulls' front office has not been able to settle on a replacement is the main thing keeping the embattled Del Negro employed, the sources said.


There were discussions recently within the organization about having John Paxson, Chicago's executive vice president of basketball operations, take over the team, but Paxson ultimately decided against it. Then, according to sources, Chicago contacted former Bulls coach Doug Collins, a candidate for the job two years ago when Del Negro was hired, but Collins was not interested in coaching the club.


Chicago, which will have approximately $15 million in cap space next summer, would like to have a permanent coach in place well before the long-awaited free-agent bonanza of 2010 begins.

The Bulls would prefer not to promote an assistant coach, either Bernie Bickerstaff or Pete Myers, to interim status, but if they can't settle on a permanent replacement for Del Negro, they may have to go that route.


A strong run by the Bulls, who beat New Orleans Saturday night after the return of Tyrus Thomas from a broken arm, could delay Del Negro's eventual firing, but there is practically no chance he would coach the team beyond this season.


Del Negro's first season in Chicago was largely viewed as disappointing until the Bulls stunned the Boston Celtics by taking them to seven games in the first round of last season's playoffs. Coming off that impressive performance, this season's 11-17 record is a colossal disappointment.


There is no shortage of reputable coaches available. Byron Scott, who was fired by New Orleans earlier this season, would seem to be a logical candidate. Avery Johnson, who sources say is on the short list of coaching candidates for New Orleans and New Jersey next season, along with Jeff Van Gundy, Sam Mitc and Lawrence Frank, have all had successful coaching careers. Scott, Johnson and Mitc have all been named NBA Coach of the Year.

Chris Broussard covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine.

[Chillen]

As a Bulls fan this just irks me. I don't get why they hired Vinny Del Negro to begin with, he was a rookie coach and to fire him after 2 seasons is pure bullsh*t. There is no reason to fire him right now, he made the playoffs his 1st season as head coach with a 41-41 record and that great 1st rd Boston series. So the team is struggling a bit this season, right now they are still in the playoffs as the 8th seed if the playoffs started today, Chicago would be in.

To fire him would admit huge failure in judgement of talent on the organization's part. You hire a rookie coach and fire him 2 seasons later, they did this with Tim Floyd only he had coached at the college level.

I say keep Vinny the rest of the season and see if he get's this team in the playoffs. If he does, than they should make their decision at the end of the season. Firing Vinny will not do anything at all to help the Bulls this season.

[JoeTait75]

As a Bulls fan this just irks me. I don't get why they hired Vinny Del Negro to begin with, he was a rookie coach and to fire him after 2 seasons is pure bullsh*t. There is no reason to fire him right now, he made the playoffs his 1st season as head coach with a 41-41 record and that great 1st rd Boston series. So the team is struggling a bit this season, right now they are still in the playoffs as the 8th seed if the playoffs started today, Chicago would be in.

To fire him would admit huge failure in judgement of talent on the organization's part. You hire a rookie coach and fire him 2 seasons later, they did this with Tim Floyd only he had coached at the college level.

I say keep Vinny the rest of the season and see if he get's this team in the playoffs. If he does, than they should make their decision at the end of the season. Firing Vinny will not do anything at all to help the Bulls this season.

Personally, I think blowing a 35-point lead at home to a mediocre opponent is grounds for firing right then and there. That should never happen.

As for giving him more time, well, it's like poker- if you draw a two-seven off-suit, best to muck it with a quickness rather than hold it and hope you can drag a pot with it.

[Chillen]

Personally, I think blowing a 35-point lead at home to a mediocre opponent is grounds for firing right then and there. That should never happen.

As for giving him more time, well, it's like poker- if you draw a two-seven off-suit, best to muck it with a quickness rather than hold it and hope you can drag a pot with it.

It wasn't Vinny's fault his players quit playing hard that game, I watched it and it was just pitiful. Vinny isn't out there playing defense, it's the 5 guys he puts on the court. They gave up that lead, they got comfortable and quit playing hard. Perhaps the players know he will be fired and are just tuning him out, or did it that game.

[Tacker]

I don't get it, they lost Ben Gordon last year what else do they expect? Bulls are right there in the playoff race they are the 8th spot and 2 games behind the 6th. Did they honestly think they were going to be a better team than last year while losing their top scorer in Ben Gordon?

[iggypop123]

how is he closer after the 35 point comeback? how did he top it

[Indazone]

It's not Vinny's fault that the Bulls suck. It's upper management and the players they get him to work with. Noah should not be a starter. He is at best a reserve to be coming off the bench. Bulls have decent wings though.

[Chillen]

I don't get it, they lost Ben Gordon last year what else do they expect? Bulls are right there in the playoff race they are the 8th spot and 2 games behind the 6th. Did they honestly think they were going to be a better team than last year while losing their top scorer in Ben Gordon?

Exactly. It's not coach. I hate when organizations blame the coach, it's always the coaches fault, happens in this league all the time. We've got Rose, he is an all-star caliber player, Noah, Deng. Last year the trade for Miller, Salmons helped but now it's losing steam. I can't think of how many foolish decisions this Bulls organization has made since MJ retired. Look at the Celtics, they are one of the best teams in the NBA now and could win the NBA le. They once were in the same position the Bulls were in, clearly management doesn't have a clue. Firing Vinny Del Negro is not the solution, it's just another big mistake about to happen all over again. They have to keep a coach, and player and build a solid team like they did with MJ's Bulls. Year in year out it's somebody new, and why the f*ck did they not trade for Garnett when they could have given up Deng for him.

[Chillen]

how is he closer after the 35 point comeback? how did he top it

That was on the players, I watched the whole game.

[baseline bum]

Del Negro sucks. Wasn't it game 1 of last year vs Boston where he blew all his timeouts and didn't have a chance to advance the ball to get a decent shot at a game winner before OT? The guy was a piece of as a player and a whiner; I can't imagine how anyone could have thought he'd be able to run a team.

[mystargtr34]

It's not Vinny's fault that the Bulls suck. It's upper management and the players they get him to work with. Noah should not be a starter. He is at best a reserve to be coming off the bench. Bulls have decent wings though.

Noah? He has been excellent this year... one of the best rebounders and shot blockers in the league.. You need a guy like that starting. The problem is you need a good post scorer/offensive player next to him... instead they have Taj Gibson and Tryus Thomas.. neither does much of anything.

They missed out big time on a Pau Gasol/Kevin Garnett/Kobe Bryant franchise changer. The entire NBA and its GM's were in love with all the talent and potential they had stockpiled from 2003 to about 2007, they almost could have had any superstar on a struggling team for a package of some of those guys.. they were pretty much the Blazers of two years ago.. they were even winning...

Deng
Gordon
Thomas
Noah
Hinrich
Nociono
Sefolosha

Ben Gordno is really the only one who has gone on to realise his full potential. Noah is on his way too, but the rest have hardly developed at all since 2007... yet they could have had Gasol/KG for Deng+Noah+Sefolosha.

[jacobdrj]

The Bulls not making it past the Pistons in '07 was a coaching problem. A mediocre Bulls team regressing after loosing key players via free agency/injury is NOT a coaching problem. but DelNegro has no clout in Chicago, and is cheap and expendable. A nice scapegoat.

[SpursPreacher]

This is their owner and managements fault not vinnys.come on he and the bulls were a few shots and misses from, taking out the celts in round 1.This is the bulls problem they dont have patience.

[Chieflion]

Jeff Van Gundy said it best in the 2009 NBA draft when Rubio was drafted, talking about he would coach him.
"You let this guy run the offense and stay out of the way. Since they are going with all the young guys, you would get fired after two years anyway, so it is easy to not care about it."

[I. Hustle]

Noah and Kirk for Bynum.

Noah and Kirk for Pop

[TDMVPDPOY]

the problem is bulls lost gordan, now stuck with rose where everyone knows his game

[Chillen]

Noah and Kirk for Pop

Actually Noah and Kirk would be a perfect fit for the Spurs. Maybe if they throw in a Spurs assistant coach Chicago would bite.