Is Tom Thibodeau a glutton for punishment?
We’re about to find out.
After canning Lionel Hollins and reassigning general manager Billy King, the Brooklyn Nets’ search for replacements are underway. And while Kentucky head coach John Calipari has been haphazardly thrown into the mix by any writer with a platform, the Nets appear to have started the process by reaching out to Thibs, per Mitch Lawrence of Sporting News:
The Nets have reached out to Tom Thibodeau about coming to Brooklyn to coach their team, per NBA sources.
— Mitch Lawrence (@Mitch_Lawrence) January 13, 2016
It’s pretty standard for any high-profile vacancy to be linked to a high-profile coaching candidate. Hence the Calipari rumors.
But throwing Thibs, as well as Mark Jackson, into the fold is truly bizarre. They are systematic proxies of Hollins—defensive minds who aren’t known for grooming youngsters, though Jackson had some success with a burgeoning Golden State Warriors team, or for being especially inventive on the offensive end.
The Nets’ biggest selling point, at least in theory, is job security. Owner Mikhail Prokhorov can talk about contending immediately all he wants. It’s not going to happen. The Nets need to make what they can of their situation until 2019, when they finally have the rights to their own first-rounder, and rebuild from there.
In the meantime, whomever they hire shouldn’t be someone tasked with winning games or under the guise that the team can turn things around before then. It should be an up-and-comer, someone in the vein of Brett Brown.
Throwing money and interest at Thibs would just be the Nets’ way of showing they still don’t get it.
