Tom Thibodeau Contract: Sides Remain Far Apart In Extension Negotiation

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune is reporting that Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau and the team's front office still have a long way to go until the two parties are able to reach an extension agreement.

Thibodeau led Bulls to a 62-20 record in the 2010-11 NBA Season and a league-best 50-16 record in the 2011-12 NBA Season. The Bulls then exercised their option to keep Thibodeau around for the 2012-13 NBA Season, but Thibs and Bulls GM Gar Forman both want to keep the 2010-11 NBA Coach of the Year with the team for a long time.

Johnson suspects the Bulls are wary of offering Thibs big money because of the Scott Skiles trouble in the early aughties, when the Bulls signed Skiles to a rich, long-term coaching contract that they later regretted

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Tom Thibodeau Contract: Extension Talks Expected To Begin Soon

It does not look like Chicago Bulls head coach will have to worry about job security any time soon. According to K.C. Johnson, the Bulls and Thibodeau are expected to begin negotiating a contract extension in the near future.

Gar Forman said Tom Thibodeau's contract will be picked up,extension talks will take place shortly. #Bulls

— K.C Johnson (@KCJHoop) May 15, 2012

Related: Chicago Bulls Offseason Questions: Omer Asik, restricted free agency, and the Gilbert Arenas provision

Tom Thibodeau became head coach of the team in 2010 and became the fastest coach in NBA history to reach 100 career wins. He has a 112-36 record in two seasons.

Prior to joining the Bulls, Thibodeau spent three seasons as an assistant in Boston.

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Thibodeau Contract: Bulls VP Says Coach Has Good Relationship With Management

According to ESPN Chicago, the looming controversy over Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau may not be a controversy at all. In late March, reports began to surface that indicated Thibodeau was unhappy with his contract situation and wanted a more lucrative offer. However, the Bulls and Thibodeau have since downplayed the rumor, and in early April, GM Gar Forman went so far as to call the possible impasse as a non-issue.

In his latest interview with the media, executive vice president John Paxson described his and Forman's relationship with Thibs as "very good" and suggested the organization would possibly finalize an extension during the offseason:

"We want him here. He wants to be here. And as Gar said last last week, when you have the same goals it gets worked out. We need to get through this year. Hopefully we get healthy and have a good long playoff run and then we go to that issue."

Thibodeau, in his season season with the team, has led the 2011-2012 Bulls to an NBA-best 43-14 record despite missing key components of his starting lineup to injuries most of the season.

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Bulls GM Says Tom Thibodeau Likely To Get New Deal From Team

Chicago Bulls general manager Gar Forman told reporters that extension talks with coach Tom Thibodeau occurred before the season and will be re-initiated once the season is over, according to ESPN Chicago. Reports have come out recently claiming that Thibodeau isn't happy with his current contact situation. Forman didn't sound worried, though:

To us it's a non-issue. Obviously we think very, very highly of Tom and his staff. Jerry (Reinsdorf) even come out and said it, we're hopeful Tom will be our coach here for a long, long time.

Thibodeau is in the second year of a reasonable two-year contract, but the Bulls hold an option on him for the 2012-13 season. The Bulls have had stunning success since hiring the defensive guru from Boston, nearly making the NBA Finals last season. There's reason to believe that he should be one of the highest-paid coaches in the league.

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Tom Thibodeau Contract Situation Won't Be Played Out In Public With The Bulls

Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau won NBA Coach of the Year last season, and could be primed to win the award again in the 2011-12 season. In fact, no head coach in NBA history has ever reached the 100-win mark faster than Thibs, but all this success still hasn't led to a big extension with the Bulls. Thibodeau signed a two-year deal with a team option for a third season when he first joined the organization, which means the team controls his rights for another year, but that doesn't mean he is happy about the situation. But if he is displeased with the lack of an extension, it's all happening behind closed doors.

Mark Stein of ESPN reported on Friday that "the NBA's reigning Coach of the Year is dismayed that he hasn't been offered a more lucrative extension" and that "his displeasure with the situation is an open secret in team circles." However, when Nick Friedell followed up with the coach after Friday's win over the Detroit Pistons, Thibodeau denied feeling any frustration or displeasure:

"I don't know where that's coming from," Thibodeau said. "I'm not worried about any of that stuff. I'm under contract. I'm fine with everything here."

Furthermore, team Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf told ESPN Chicago last month via e-mail that he expects "Tom will be with the Bulls well beyond his current contract," so perhaps the whole situation is just being overblown. In any case, Thibodeau will be paid like a top coach in the NBA when he signs his next deal, now all the Bulls have to do is make sure he signs that deal in Chicago.

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Tom Thibodeau Is Upset He Hasn't Been Offered A More Lucrative Contract Extension From The Chicago Bulls