Forman: What turbulence?
By the end of last season, members of the Bulls’ front office seemed to be fireproof, and on Friday, it seemed they’re also an insulated group when it comes to criticism.
Asked about what should have been a turbulent last six months for him and vice president of basketball of operations John Paxson, general manager Gar Forman sounded removed from what has been going on around him.
“Whatever you’re talking about, the critics or the job, I haven’t seen that,” Forman said. “You’ll have to tell me where that’s from.”
Well, it’s from the firing of a winning coach, Tom Thibodeau, two years ago, followed by a series of miscalculations with the roster and staff that led to the Bulls missing out on the playoffs for the first time in eight years. And it’s from a veteran, Joakim Noah, telling sources he was done with the Bulls and moving to New York because he didn’t trust the front office.
Is Forman out of touch? He had a different explanation.
“We just come in and grind and do our job each and every day, with a focus on our players, a focus on getting better and putting ourselves in the best possible position to have success,” Forman said.
Home- court honors
As expected, Jimmy Butler was given the starting nod in Team USA’s 80- 45 exhibition win over Venezuela at the United Center. The Bulls guard finished with four points on 2- for- 8 shooting with eight rebounds.
While a starting lineup hasn’t been set for the Rio Olympics, U. S. coach Mike Krzyzewski has been starting players in front of their hometown crowds during this tour of friendly warmups. It was simply Butler’s turn.
“I just want to win,” Butler said of his Team USA experience so far. “That’s what I’m looking forward to. That’s the reason we’re all here. Yeah, you’re going to have fun, obviously, but I think the real fun is in winning.
“You can learn a lot from these guys. Obviously, they’ve been doing this a lot longer than I have. Watching these guys go at it after practice, that’s what I pick up. How efficient you have to be. And if you work on this move, this move, this move, that’s what you’re going to be comfortable with. But at the end of the day, it’s about winning that gold.”
Old ball coach
Thibodeau returned for the first time to the United Center, working as an assistant for Team USA.
The dark moments seem to be only a memory for the former Bulls coach, who’s now head coach and president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“Five years coaching, and I stayed here last year as well, and I love the city,” Thibodeau said. “The fans were great to me the whole time. When you look back, you think about all the great memories you had. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to coach here — great history, great tradition, and we had great guys.”