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Tom Thibodeau Eyes Coaching Comeback, Would Consider Return To Bulls
May 5, 2026
Posted 3 hours ago by
Tom Thibodeau is actively pursuing a return to coaching and has expressed strong interest in re-entering the NBA, with league sources telling The Athletic that the 68-year-old is open to a reunion with the Chicago Bulls if the organization shares that interest. Thibodeau spent the 2025-26 season away from basketball after the New York Knicks dismissed him last summer, despite the team reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Bulls job would carry particular significance, as Chicago is where Thibodeau built his head coaching reputation before departing in 2015. Thibodeau's track record suggests a short absence from the sidelines before returning. Following his exits from the Bulls in 2015 and the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2019, Thibodeau returned to coaching within one season each time. Any potential Bulls reunion would require buy-in from CEO Michael Reinsdorf and newly hired executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham, who joined the franchise Monday after being hired away from the Atlanta Hawks. Thibodeau is one of several coaches expected to draw interest across a wide-open market this offseason. Current vacancies include the Bulls, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Pelicans. The Golden State Warriors also faces uncertainty, with Steve Kerr still deciding whether to continue coaching.
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