Fred Hoiberg Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Monroe, Butler, Osman, Johnson

October 5th, 2015 at 11:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Bucks GM John Hammond believes the team’s plan for a new arena, which has since cleared all hurdles for public funding, played a role in convincing Greg Monroe to sign with the team, as Hammond told NBA TV’s Dennis Scott and TNT’s David Aldridge, who writes in his Morning Tip column for NBA.com. Monroe cites advice from former Bucks who became his teammates on the Pistons.

“When I signed, it wasn’t all the way done yet, but now, they have a new stadium coming,” Monroe said. “And I saw how the fans were. We played there, been coming there for years now, multiple times a year in the division. I know what kind of fan base they have. And I talked to a couple of my former teammates in Detroit who played here before, and they had nothing but great things to say about the city and the organization. So with all of that combined, I just definitely felt I made the right decision.”

See more from the Central Division:

Jimmy Butler thinks new Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg will improve the team’s floor-spacing, an element Butler thought was “terrible” last season, but Butler, in an interview with Aldridge for the same piece, identifies Hoiberg’s personal touch as the most significant change from former coach Tom Thibodeau.
The Cavs spoke with No. 31 overall pick Cedi Osman about a month ago, but he’s planning to remain overseas with Anadolu Efes, where he has a contract that runs through at least 2017/18, for the next two seasons, as Osman writes for Eurohoops.net. “I’m happy that my rights are owned by the Cleveland Cavaliers and I hope that when I go there, I’ll meet LeBron James!” Osman writes. “I have a lot to learn from him!”
Stanley Johnson was a surprise pick at No. 8 with Justise Winslow still on the board and he struggled in the Pistons‘ open scrimmage Saturday, apart from a highlight-reel play, but he’s otherwise made a strong impression with the team so far, observes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.

Eastern Notes: Wade, Celtics, Bulls

September 23rd, 2015 at 10:35pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Heat don’t plan on Dwyane Wade playing under a minutes restriction this season, and coach Erik Spoelstra wants to utilize the veteran shooting guard as much as possible in 2015/16, Jason Lieser of The Palm Beach Post writes. “Dwyane has to be our leader,” Spoelstra said. “He’s grown in that role and with new veteran players, everybody naturally turns to Dwyane as the cornerstone of our franchise and they turn to [Chris Bosh] and they turn to [Udonis Haslem]. He’s fully accepted that responsibility. Dwyane is coming into this season ready for whatever challenges it brings, and I’m not coaching him with restrictions in mind. We’ll adapt and be aware of anything that may come up as the season goes on.”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Center Tyler Zeller thinks that the Celtics‘ stocked frontcourt will be a boon to the team, despite him having extra competition for playing time, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com writes. “I think [the frontcourt will] be good,” said Zeller. “Hopefully we can learn from Amir [Johnson] and David [Lee]. I know David has had a lot of success all over the board in being an All-Star, winning a championship, those kind of things. Hopefully we can learn a lot from him and he can push us in the right direction and help us become a better team. I’m really looking forward to playing with them. I think they are going to be great assets to us and hopefully help us take that next step.“
The Bulls are expected to have much more freedom on the offensive end under new coach Fred Hoiberg than they previously did under former coach Tom Thibodeau, Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com writes. “Obviously it’s going to be different,” swingman Jimmy Butler said of his new coach. “I’ve studied some film with my trainer how [Iowa State] played in college. We go over some of the offensive schemes [Hoiberg’s] told me and my trainer about. So we work that into our workouts, but it’s definitely going to be different. I think it’s not going to be so much concentrated on defense like it was [with] Thibs. I think it’s actually going to be more offense [minded].“
The Wizards believe that a healthy Bradley Beal and John Wall, along with the team’s stout frontline, give the team potential for significant growth, which is one reason the team held off from making a splash in free agency this summer, the crew at Basketball Insiders write in their season preview of the team. Washington has the capability to make it to the second round of this year’s playoffs, but advancing to the Conference Finals is unlikely with the current roster, the panel concludes.

And-Ones: Celtics, Bulls, Rodriguez, Frazier

June 20th, 2015 at 11:00pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Celtics are reportedly trying to move out of the No. 28th spot in the draft in an effort to gain more cap flexibility, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitter Link). Earlier today, it was reported that the team would like to move up in the draft in order to select Myles Turner. Boston also owns the No.16 overall pick, so perhaps it could dangle both picks to a team drafting in the back-end of the lottery, which is where Turner is expected to be selected.

Here’s more from around the league on the last day of spring:

Sergio Rodriguez is not contemplating the possibility of making the jump to the NBA, barring an offer he cannot refuse, according to Marca.com (Translation by HoopsHype.com). It was previously reported that the point guard planned to try and secure an NBA deal this summer.
Tom Thibodeau and his coaching staff reportedly lobbied for Draymond Green to be the No.29 overall selection in the 2012 draft instead of Marquis Teague, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
Since taking over for Thibodeau, Fred Hoiberg has immersed himself in the Bulls’ draft process, according to Johnson in the same piece. Hoiberg is also working finalize his staff with Pete Myers, Ed Pinckney, Mike Wilhelm and video coordinator Charlie Henry.
Michael Frazier will work out for the Sixers, Hawks and Rockets, according to Antonya English and Bob Putnam of the Tampa Bay Times. The former Gator has previously worked out for 11 other teams.

Central Notes: Boylen, Ilyasova, Looney

June 13th, 2015 at 6:52pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Assistant Jim Boylen is leaving the Spurs to become the associate head coach of the Bulls, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Boylen had the offer from Fred Hoiberg and had been weighing his options for several days, according to the Yahoo! scribe. Coach Gregg Popovich wanted to keep Boylen on his staff, but understood the financial opportunity and promotion that Chicago was offering, sources tell Wojnarowski. The terms of Boylen’s new contract have not yet been disclosed.

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Ersan Ilyasova is embracing his new opportunity with the Pistons, Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times writes. “I spoke with coach [Stan] Van Gundy for about 20 minutes and he shared his plans for me and the team next season,’’ Ilyasova said. “Coach Van Gundy said he was following me since he was coaching in Orlando several years ago and he really liked the way I played and how I fit into the system. It’s exciting, for sure. I think it’ll work out good for me and it will be the right fit for me. It’s going to be a fresh start.’’
Some neutral observers of Kevon Looney‘s workout with the Bucks believe the UCLA product had an ordinary workout, citing his lack of aggression and failure to make plays, Woelfel writes in the same piece. However Bucks director of scouting Billy McKinney had nothing but praise for Looney. “We were all impressed,’’ McKinney said, referring to the Bucks’ representatives in attendance. “He’s only 19. He has tremendous growth.’’

Central Notes: Hoiberg, Calipari, Pistons

June 4th, 2015 at 11:15am CST by Eddie Scarito

During his introductory press conference, new Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg gushed about the talent on Chicago’s roster, Sam Smith of NBA.com relays. “I love this roster,” said Hoiberg. “I absolutely love this roster. I love the versatility of the players. The different lineups that we’re going to be able to play; can play small, can play big, You’ve got lineups that I really think can get out and play with pace. You’ve got a great group of veteran players that know how to play. I think Tom Thibodeau is an excellent, excellent basketball coach and I think he instilled a lot of unbelievable qualities in this team that hopefully I can build on.”

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Kentucky’s John Calipari was one of the names linked to the Cavs‘ coaching search prior to David Blatt being hired. But despite Cleveland making it to the NBA Finals this season, Calipari says he doesn’t regret his decision to remain with the Wildcats, Chris Fedor of The Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. “No. No, nope. Because what happened, and the reason I did what I did, was based on having guys come back who wanted to be coached. I didn’t feel comfortable not being at Kentucky,” Calipari responded when asked if he had any second thoughts about passing on the chance to coach LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
Calipari also said that despite all the offers he has had to return to the NBA as a head coach, the only job opening that made him seriously consider leaving Kentucky was the Cavaliers‘ post last summer, Fedor adds.
Despite the presence of center Andre Drummond, the Pistons won’t hesitate to grab Willie Cauley-Stein or Myles Turner in the draft if the front-office believes either big man is the best player available at the No. 8 spot, David Mayo of MLive.com writes. “They like to play two bigs,” Cauley-Stein said of the Pistons, who often played Greg Monroe and Drummond together. “That’s a big lineup. Both super-athletic, both do similar stuff, so it’s kind of like how me and Karl-Anthony Towns played this year. I get the same kind of sense out of it.“

Central Notes: Hoiberg, Pacers, Martin

June 2nd, 2015 at 6:43pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the Bulls‘ current lack of financial flexibility, changing coaches was the best way for the franchise to shake things up after a disappointing playoff run, Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com writes in his breakdown of what Fred Hoiberg brings to the team on both the offensive and defensive ends of the hardwood. Doolittle also opines that it would serve the team well if Hoiberg were to retain assistant coaches Ed Pinckney and Adrian Griffin, both of whom could maintain the roster’s defensive focus while Hoiberg revamps the offense.

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Kansas swingman Kelly Oubre will work out for the Pacers today, Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops tweets. You can view our full prospect profile for Oubre here.
Also scheduled to work out for the Pacers today are Anthony Brown (Stanford), Cady Lalanne (UMass), Luis Montero (Westchester Community College), Jon Octeus (Purdue), and Gabe Olaseni (Iowa), the team announced.
Cartier Martin‘s teammates on the Pistons encouraged him to swallow his pride and exercise his player option worth nearly $1.271MM for next season, Terry Foster of The Detroit News writes. The forward was unhappy with his playing time this past season, having only appeared in 23 contests for Detroit.
The solid play of Tristan Thompson and the Cavs‘ success in the playoffs this season has changed the narrative regarding Kevin Love‘s player option for 2015/16, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com writes. Instead of wondering if Love would return, talk now centers around whether the team needs or wants him to return next season, Berger notes.

Bulls Notes: Hoiberg, Forman, Paxson

June 2nd, 2015 at 3:03pm CST by Chuck Myron

Bulls GM Gar Forman seemed play a little coy in today’s introductory press conference for new coach Fred Hoiberg, saying that the Bulls didn’t know that they would so quickly hire Hoiberg after firing Tom Thibodeau, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune notes (on Twitter). That’s in spite of a flurry of reports that came out in the wake of Thibodeau’s ouster that made it clear that Hoiberg was far and away the team’s top choice. Hoiberg nonetheless said he wrestled with the decision as lately as two days ago, Johnson also relays (Twitter link). The coach’s health, a concern less than two months removed from open heart surgery, nonetheless doesn’t appear to have been a stumbling block, as Hoiberg said that if the Bulls job posed any health risk to him, he wouldn’t have taken it, according to Johnson (on Twitter). There’s more of what Hoiberg had to say amid the latest from Chicago:

Hoiberg said that he’s not concerned about the poor working history between Bulls management and their coaches, Johnson tweets. “I’m extremely confident we’re going to have a high level of communication with Fred,” Forman said, as Johnson also relays (via Twitter).
The new coach cited familiarity with the Chicago organization as reason for making the jump now instead of when he elicited NBA interest in the past, and he gushed about the roster the Bulls already have in place, as Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com passes along (Twitter links).
Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune presaged the pleasant atmosphere of the press conference but believes Hoiberg’s ability to keep a warm and placid demeanor will face a stiff challenge with Forman and executive VP of basketball operations John Paxson around. Still, it’s Hoiberg’s affability and gratefulness for the job that probably made him so attractive to a management team that wants a pliable employee, Rosenbloom opines.
Forman and Paxson face pressure now that they’ve made their hire, given Forman’s strong push to nab Hoiberg and the growing list of coaches who’ve worked under the longer-tenured Paxson, Friedell argues. There’s no sense in the organization and around the league that either Forman or Paxson should worry about their job security, Friedell cautions, but Forman, in particular, would likely face scrutiny if Hoiberg falters, the ESPN scribe posits.

Bulls Officially Hire Fred Hoiberg

June 2nd, 2015 at 2:02pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Bulls have formally hired Fred Hoiberg as coach, the team announced via press release. Chicago’s preference for the Iowa State head man was a poorly kept secret and his hiring has been widely expected in the wake of the team’s dismissal of Tom Thibodeau last week. Hoiberg is receiving a five-year, $25MM contract, figures that Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reported Saturday and Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports confirmed Monday.

Feb 14, 2015; Ames, IA, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach Fred Hoiberg paces the court against the West Virginia Mountaineers at James H. Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones beat the Mountaineers 79-59. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

Courtesy USA Today Sports Images

“In Fred, we feel that we’ve got a guy who has a terrific package of skills: a winning coach, a natural leader and a great communicator,” Bulls GM Gar Forman said in the team’s statement. “He is a guy that has played in the league, has been an executive in the league and has had unparalleled success coaching at Iowa State—winning multiple Big 12 Championships, consistently having nationally ranked teams and NCAA Tournament teams. There is no question that we think he’s the right fit and that he will maximize the potential of this team.”

Hoiberg’s teams at Iowa State have ranked in the top 30 in estimated offensive efficiency among Division I schools each of the past three seasons, according to Sports-Reference. That’s a sharp contrast to Thibodeau, who’s strength is on the defensive end. The new Bulls coach guided Iowa State for the past five years after he spent four seasons in the Timberwolves front office following a 10-year NBA playing career that included a four-year tenure in Chicago.

Only 42 years old, Hoiberg underwent open heart surgery in April, helping fuel some doubt about whether he would jump to the NBA this year. Still, Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard last month framed the idea of Hoiberg becoming an NBA coach as a matter of when and not if. The Bulls spoke to Hoiberg about his interest in joining their team during the season, even as Thibodeau was still coaching, as Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv reported.

“I am very excited and thankful for the opportunity to coach the Chicago Bulls. Everyone back in Ames [Iowa] knows what Iowa State means to me and my family. I am closing a special chapter in my life and beginning a new one here in Chicago,” Hoiberg said in the team’s statement. “Being a head coach in the NBA has always been a goal of mine and to be able to do it at this time with the Bulls was the right fit for me. Having played in the league for 10 years, and then worked in a front office of an NBA team for four years, I am ready to begin this next phase of my career and help this team win an NBA championship.”

Alvin Gentry, whom the Pelicans hired this past weekend, was expected, prior to Thibodeau’s dismissal, to be a front-runner for the Bulls vacancy, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, and Bulls assistant Adrian Griffin was in the mix for the head job, too, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported. Nonetheless, the job was Hoiberg’s to lose, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune wrote when the Bulls fired Thibodeau, and sources told Randy Peterson of The Des Moines Register that Hoiberg would accept if offered. Forman appears to have been the driving force from Chicago’s end, having been “obsessive” about the pursuit, as Wojnarowski wrote.

Johnson wrote over the weekend that Hoiberg was expected to accept the Bulls coaching job prior to the start of the NBA Finals on Thursday. The notion that Hoiberg would be Chicago’s next coach seemed undeniable, even as he declined to mention the Bulls by name as he spoke to reporters before boarding a plane to Chicago late Monday, and even as the Bulls sent out a press release Monday night promising a “major announcement” today.

The Bulls job will be Hoiberg’s first NBA head coaching position after he went 115-59 in his five seasons at Iowa State, qualifying for four NCAA Tournaments and making one Sweet 16 appearance. He joins Billy Donovan, who went from Florida to the Thunder, as the second college coach this offseason to jump into his first NBA head coaching job.

Bulls To Name Fred Hoiberg As Coach Tuesday

June 1st, 2015 at 8:36pm CST by Eddie Scarito

8:36pm: Hoiberg will receive a five-year contract worth nearly $25MM, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). That affirms what Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reported on Saturday.

8:10pm: The Bulls will announce Hoiberg as their head coach at a press conference on Tuesday, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune tweets.

5:21pm: Hoiberg has already told several of his players and members of his staff that he is leaving Iowa State for the Bulls, a source tells Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

4:31pm: Hoiberg boarded a Chicago-bound plane at the Ames airport, telling media that he was off to finalize things without mentioning the Bulls specifically, as Bobby La Gesse of The Ames Tribune relays (Twitter link; hat tip to Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com).

MONDAY, 9:41am: Hoiberg will be in Chicago today to finalize his deal, a source tells Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com. The Bulls would like to announce the hiring today and hold a press conference Tuesday, Parrish also hears.

SATURDAY, 8:22pm: A deal between Hoiberg and the Bulls is already in place, reports Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. The contract is believed to be somewhere around $25MM over five years, and Hoiberg, who recently underwent his second heart surgery, is waiting for medical clearance before signing it.

SATURDAY, 8:08pm: Hoiberg will be introduced as the Bulls’ new coach next week, according to Randy Peterson of The Des Moines Register. He cites three unidentified sources who say the hiring will probably be announced Tuesday, but could be pushed back until Wednesday.

SATURDAY, 10:38am: There are varying reports on when a formal announcement will be made, but Hoiberg is expected to officially accept the Bulls coaching position prior to the NBA Finals beginning on Thursday, K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune writes. There is the possibility that Hoiberg won’t be introduced as coach for a few weeks, so he can tend to “family schooling considerations,” Johnson adds. There is also speculation that the two sides already have a verbal agreement in place, but still need to iron out the exact contract details, the Tribune scribe notes.

FRIDAY, 10:00pm: The Bulls are “quietly confident” that Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg will accept an offer to become the team’s new head coach, Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com writes. It was relayed earlier by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that the Bulls and Hoiberg had reached an understanding and that he would accept an offer from Chicago, prompting the team to fire former coach Tom Thibodeau.

There have been some doubts about whether Hoiberg, coming off heart surgery last month, would head to the Bulls this year. But several sources close to Hoiberg expressed confidence that he’s ready for the challenge of the NBA, and there was no way Hoiberg would turn down the opportunity to coach in Chicago, Friedell notes. As for the Bulls, the franchise’s interest in Hoiberg isn’t a recent development, since according to league sources who spoke to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv, the team had already spoken with Hoiberg about his potential interest in coming to Chicago earlier this season.

Hoiberg certainly seems like he’s ready to leave Iowa State for the NBA. He was one of the candidates interviewed by Magic GM Rob Hennigan for the team’s coaching vacancy, which has now been filled by Scott Skiles, Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel reports. The timetable on exactly when Hoiberg could formally sign a contract is still being determined, Friedell notes. The Bulls are giving extra consideration to the time frame because of Hoiberg’s recent heart surgery, team sources told Friedell.

Central Notes: Gasol, Hoiberg, Jackson

May 31st, 2015 at 4:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Tom Thibodeau, who was fired Thursday as coach of the Bulls, received some public support Sunday from Pau Gasol, writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Gasol used his blog to thank the coach who convinced him to come to Chicago and helped him thrive with an inside-out offense. “Coach Thibodeau, [I] want to thank your trust and support this season,” Gasol wrote. “I am sure that his departure was a very difficult decision for the organization of the Bulls, but I am convinced that they have a solid plan for the success of the franchise. We all have high expectations for the coming season and will do anything to bring the ring to Chicago. Go Bulls!”

Here’s more news from the Central Division:

Iowa State’s Fred Hoiberg, who is expected to officially replace Thibodeau this week, is a “leader,” former Bulls GM Jerry Krause told Johnson in a separate story. “He’d earn respect of players right away,” Krause said. “If you don’t respect Fred Hoiberg, you don’t respect people.” Hoiberg is recovering from heart surgery and his children are finishing the school year Monday, so the date of his announcement is uncertain, but it’s a foregone conclusion that he will be Chicago’s next coach. Johnson couldn’t confirm a report that Hoiberg will receive $25MM over five years, but a source told him the contract will top the $20MM extension Hoiberg got from ISU in 2013.
Chicago is counting on Hoiberg to improve its offense, according to Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders. The columnist contends that Hoiberg’s philosophies fit well with the talent that the Bulls possess.
Some have wondered if Reggie Jackson, acquired last season, could be the long-term replacement for point guard Brandon Jennings, who will be a free agent in the summer of 2016. For what it’s worth, Pistons coach/exec Stan Van Gundy says that he can see the two clicking well on the floor at the same time, David Mayo of MLive.com writes. “I think it can work,” Van Gundy said. “I think that we’ve seen a vision of it already with [Russell] Westbrook and Reggie in Oklahoma City. They were certainly able to find minutes for both of them. So yeah, I’ve certainly thought about it. But that would be jumping the gun a little bit. The main thing is to get him back.”

Zach Links contributed to this report.