While the New Orleans Hornets offered their vacant coaching job to Boston assistant Tom Thibodeau last week, the team does not want to wait until after the NBA Finals to hire a new coach. This from ESPN’s Marc Stein:
Hornets Unwilling To Wait On Thibodeau, May Turn To Monty Williams
The Hornets don’t want to let their coaching search drag beyond this week and plan to offer the job instead to Portland Trail Blazers assistant Monty Williams if Thibodeau, Boston’s defensive specialist, doesn’t accept by Thursday, according to sources.
The delay, according to sources, stems not only from Boston’s ongoing postseason obligations but from Thibodeau’s desire to see how serious the New Jersey Nets and Chicago Bulls are about hiring him. It remains unclear when or if the Bulls still plan to interview Thibodeau, but one source said Thibodeau did speak with the Nets before the Celtics left Tuesday for Los Angeles.
Unfortunately for the Hornets, the Newark Star Ledger is reporting that the Nets may not hesitate in pursuing Thibodeau now that Jeff Van Gundy has turned them down:It is likely that Tom Thibodeau has vaulted to the top of the Nets’ list of candidates — and that they’re going to have some competition for his services if that is the case.
It was reported last week that the Boston Celtics assistant coach is about to get an offer from the New Orleans Hornets, which Thorn would not address specifically. But when asked whether such a circumstance — a coach he liked, being pursued by others — would force him to be proactive, Thorn said yes.
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