Vinny Del Negro compiled an 82-82 regular-season record in two years as Bulls coach (AP)
By K.C. Johnson
The Bulls have called an 11 a.m. Tuesday news conference, at which time sources said they will announce the dismissal of coach Vinny Del Negro with one season and roughly $2 million remaining on his guaranteed three-year contract.
Del Negro was informed of his dismissal during a Monday night meeting with Gar Forman, sources said.
Del Negro went 82-82 during the regular season and 4-8 during two trips to the postseason.
During a late-season interview with the Tribune, Del Negro addressed the possibility of being fired with his typical directness and high-road manner.
"I'll leave with my head held high whether it's this year or next year or in 10 years because I know how hard I worked," Del Negro said then. "I know how hard I've prepared. And I know how I've represented the organization."
The Bulls will embark on their second coaching search in two years, targeting candidates with previous NBA head-coaching experience.
Though the Bulls have contacted no candidates yet for interviews, sources indicated they have either performed background on or held internal discussions about at least Lawrence Frank, Kevin McHale, Mo Cheeks, Byron Scott, Dwane Casey and Eric Musselman. That list isn't comprehensive, and Bulls management will embark on its exhaustive search mindful the one to land Del Negro took eight weeks.
Sources said Del Negro's dismissal has nothing to do with the brief physical altercation between Del Negro and senior vice president John Paxson on March 30, which merely made public the deteriorating relationship between those two individuals.
Upset that Del Negro had exceeded for the second time a medically imposed minutes limit for Joakim Noah, Paxson angrily came to the doorway of Del Negro's office.
According to sources, Paxson began to verbally confront Del Negro, which prompted Del Negro to rise from his chair and walk toward Paxson. At this point, sources said, Paxson grabbed Del Negro by his tie and shoved him. Paxson and Del Negro were separated by an organization employee.
Del Negro, sources said, wanted assurances from the organization the incident wouldn't cause Bulls officials to harm his future chances at employment. And after back-to-back postseason berths, it's likely Del Negro will land another job at some point.
Phil coming back to coach Bulls with Lebron? That's the rumor: http://sportssage.com/
YOU GOT TO SPEND MONEY TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS. IT'S NOT VINNY'S FAULT BULLS MANAGEMENT IS SO CHEAP.
Let's see if management has learned anything from this disaster. Will the "braintrust" wait and wait and wait until all the top coaching talent is hired, then makes its move like last time?
If so, we'll end up with another Vinny Del or worse, a Tim Floyd.
what the heck is a Mo' Cheeks?
Why isn't Paxson getting fired too??????
Wish I hadn't paid money to see the Bulls and won't again. This organization went from classy to classless overnight.
Very disappointing.
Hey, maybe Pax/Gar will trade Rose and Noah for some draft picks.
Conversation would go like this.
Hey, Gar let's improve the team by getting some picks.
I don't like D-Rose's tattoes and Noah's hair. Let's trade them for a couple second round picks in 2020.
Sounds like a good decision Pax.
Great let's do it Gar.
By the way, I heard Goofy is available to coach.
Great. Great. Let's get him too.
if any of us grabbed a coworker we would be fired. Reinsdorf's loyalty is dysfunctional. they blew the first coaching search not to mention Paxson blowing the Tyrus/LaMarcus pick. I used to like Pax but its clear he is not cut out for the GM, excuse me VP of BBall Ops role. Gar Forman? please. just another stooge to take the pressure and spotlight off PaxDorf.
Jerry was loyal to Crumbs to a fault. i dont want some second tier coach. get a legit top tier talent. but it wont bring the big free agent here.
M-I-C-K-E-Y---M-O-U-S-E
paxson is a chump, he put together a mediocre team at best and has the audacity to blame the coach - i have had enough of paxson
Is benny the bull available? Now that they're paying Vinny to not be here next year, they're gonna have to look for a good deal. Plus, Benny won't talk back when being assaulted...
Vinney will pass through the assistant coach ranks now. He'll pop up as a head coach in 3-5 years and do just fine.
Wrong coach for the wrong team. A gentleman coach in many ways but he sure won't be missed.
Pax deserves his share of the blame, but Reinsdork really messed up the whole situation when he messed with Pax's first two choices in D'Antoni and Collins. Reinsdork needs to RETIRE! He has added no value to the team that he tore up in 1998.
Screw Paxon, how many bad draft picks did he have. Look at 2 years ago when they Bulls were looking for a head coach. Bulls fans deserve better then Paxson and Forman.
hire Lawrence Frank....he knows how to work with people....
bulls hired a "rookie" coach and bulls got what they paid for. Vinny did a good job for being a rookie coach, knowing bulls didn't want him, got assaulted by his boss and took the team to playoffs with plenty of injuries. he should have sue the pants off of Paxson and the organization. We all know Vinny is still a rookie coach but shouldn't have been treated like garbage. now i understand why skilles wanted out. best wishes Vinny!
Del Negro is just a sacrificial lamb to burn on the alter.
The job is not finished until all the incompetent Bozo's in the front office our fired and replaced.
Until that happens, the Bulls will be losers.
Vinny never should have been hired in the first place. He did a good job for coming from a scout to a head coach position but other than that he was way over his head.Now hire Byron Scott. Scott took a nets team who had 26 wins to back to back finals with almost the same talent the previous coach had, Lawrence frank never could do anything with the same talent after scott was fired.Then Scott took a team Tim floyd had who had baron davis and couldn't get more than 42 wins, then bailed and went to USC and made chris paul a allstar and won more than 50 games.The next season they had a bunch of injuries and did less and in only 6 games into the next season they fired him. The new coach did not do anything and only won 35 games. Byron Scott should be the bulls new head coach.
Let me see if I've got this right: Paxson marches into Vinny's office, grabs Vinny by the tie - but Vinny gets fired!
Interesting Justice system the Bulls organization have!
Hire Phil Jackson, get LeBron, 3 peat....
Free at last. Vinny tried but he was in way over his head. It was a foolish hire and the Bulls might as well cut their losses by admitting it. I can't think of anyone who went from not coaching on any level to being a good nba head coach. I'd like to see Thibedeau, Avery Johnson or Dwayne Casey.
And the nothing will change. Money Bags Reinsdorf will higher the cheapest possible options. They will float names of big guys like JVG, but lowball them on purpose. Reindsorf is basically Al Davis of the NFL, but at least Davis spends money. Reinsdorf pinches pennies and meddles.
Why did they hire Vinny in the first place? They should have hired an experienced coach from the start, if that's what they really want. Vinny did a great job for them. Skiles spoke up and pissed Paxson off, he got fired. Vinny stood up to Paxson, he got fired. The wrong people are getting fired, Mr. Reinsdorf. In sports, results should be what matters, and Vinny got the job done!
The irony is that the only thing Paxson has done well as GM is pick coaches. Skiles is about the best in the league at getting something out of nothing and Vinny, while not as experienced as Skiles, did very well with the roster he was given. How is it Mr. Reinsdorf that Paxson has a job?
Fire Vinny, Paxson and Forman...PLEASE!!! Hire Stacey King as GM and coach.
Fire Vinny, Paxon and Forman...PLEASE!!! Hire Stacey King as GM and coach.
Stop watching basketball, start watching ice hockey. The blackhawks are winning and pushing forward every year. The Bulls and basketball are a bunch of showboaters. Besides, baskety hoops is week to the athletic demands of ice hockey. enghanced agility, enghanced power, enhanced endurance, enhanced stamina. Hawks one battle of the beach every year back when it was happening. The only thing on par is eye-hand coordination, but try eye-hand coordination combined with a pair of ice skates and the risk of a legal 250 lb jerk hitting you at 20 miles per hours momentum :). You better be really fast or risk a really bad hit.
Vinnie should have stayed. The Bulls chose a rookie coach, and he was developing into a possibly solid NBA coach, but did make rookie mistakes. Did we all need time to develop in our jobs? How would you feel if you got fired while you were improving and learning in your present job? I loved his and the team's work ethic, prefessionalism on and off the court, all out play, team play, and the way the team battled through adversity, by playing their hearts out for each other and their coach. I liked how the young kids were stepping up. I loved Vinnie's philosophy that you earned your game playing time from practice. How refreshing! I am weary of watching thug its all about me NBA teams and how these NBA coaches baby them. I can't wait to see Paxton bring in a baby the stars veteran coach and a superstar ball hog while trading away players who had upside and were a part of the heart and soul of this team. As Donald Trump says, JOHN PAXTON, YOU'RE FIRED! You had a meltdown a few years ago when challenged on a radio show. You committed assault and battery on your coach instead of handling a young hard working up and coming coach in a teaching mature way. By the way, who the hell is the owner? This is not good business. We will see.
Paxon is the dope. What has he done since he has been a GM here? His teams have made it out of the 1st round ONE TIME in 10 years since hes been the GM. How are people so blind??? And dont gimmi that crap about he was cleaning up Jerry's mess, your telling me it takes 10 years with one of the best markets in sports with all that money to clean it up? No way, not buying that. The problem with Paxon is hes to conservative. He can make trades all day long to free cap space, but cant do anything with that cap space thats productive. He hasnt brought a big time player in here thats been a FA his whole career, and Ben Wallace dosnt count, he was not a star. I want a GM who isnt afraid to make the big move and take a chance. Everyone who is succesful in life has probaly takin major chances, Pax is just to much of a whoose. Its time Bulls Managment starts seeing whos really at fault. You can keep taking Pax's side and blame it on the players and coaches every year and make all these personel changes every year, but as some point you have to sit back and say, hmmm maybe its the GM since this is happeneing every year. DUH
This a terrible move. Vinny exceeded expectations since he has been here, and he dosnt get enough credit. He won 41 games with a team that had its 2nd best player (Noah) hurt for a lot of the year, and even when he was playing was hurt, our 3rd best player, who by the way is a system player (Deng), had a knee issue, and our best player Rose was banged up all year. Iven with those 3 players healthy they still dont have anything around them. An elite team in the NBA gets what? 50 wins? So your telling me with this roster that was hurt all year that won 41 games and took the #1 seeded Cavs down to the final minutes of every game of the playoffs except for one, cant win 9 more games with additions of say Bosh and Allen??? This is even with all the drama going on. These players GREW under VDN. Our previous high draft picks did nothing unnder our coaches, and I beleive mainly because we had a leash on them.
Too bad Vinny won't be around to coach the big time free agent the Bulls are going to sign.
David Aldridge said this was a rebuilding season. That isn't what Gar, Pax or Reinsdoorph told us to start the season.
Del negro--medicore coach, but the whole bulls' staff is a bunch of stiffs---they'll never win with this group. It will be first round and out for years.
You so called Bull fans are idiots. Despite the way Vinny was treated, HE STILL IS A LOUSY COACH. He lost twice to New Jersey, blew a 35-point freakin' lead at home to Sacramento and had James Johnson guarding LeBron James in the playoffs. If you are happy with a perennial .500 team, go watch the Cubs.
Congratulations Vinny! Pass go and collect $2 million. I'm not coaching the Bulls next year either but I'm not getting an cent! Don't forget to sue Pax civilly for his Aggravated Battery; Probably another couple million in that! Vinny was a strange hire anyway but I think in the NBA, coaching can only get you 5 - 7 more wins a season with the talent you already have. Granted, that's enough to make the playoffs, but it won't get you past a better team!
At least he got the Bulls to the playoffs. The expectations for coaches of any sport are so high these days. And yeah, just the club in general is hard to work with. Hope that he can find other work soon enough, though, and at least he put effort into his job. So give him credit for that if nothing else.
This must be where all the stupid people come to post. Thank God he's gone! maybe now we can get a coach who knows how to emphasize defense on a running team. Can't run w/the rock alawys going through the basket.
Here comes Lawrence Frank. He's a Scott Skiles Mini-Me and he'll come cheap. Skinflint Reinsdorf will not pay top dollar for a new head coach while he still has to pay Vinny.
Vinney deserve better than this Reinsdorf should sell the team. he has done nothing John Paxson should be the one to go. And I am a NotreDame fan
Oh yea this is great news.BYE VINNY Losin to the nets TWICE,blowing a 35 point lead at home,then losing to the knicks and getting blown out by 40 to atlanta is enough for me.BYE. Great job bulls management
Is Pax going too? If anything, Paxson is more deserving of the face that Del Negro is getting.
Here's the bottom line, I think the Bulls know that Del Negro did a good job considering his experience and the players he was given--the Bulls will never admit to that. In order to get the top shelf free-agents, Del Negro has to go in management's eyes.
Best of luck Vinny.
Vinney deserve better than this Reinsdorf should sell the team. he has done nothing John Paxson should be the one to go. And I am a NotreDame fan
Nooooooooooo please stop saying avery johnson he was a horrible coach the mavs blew a 2-0 lead in the finals and johnson made a critical error in the waning seconds of game 5 calling a TO in between Ft's.That was dallas's last TO and they had to go full court instead of halfcourt only down 1.
He also got outcoached and lost to the 8th seeded warriors in 2007 playoffs.A 67-15 team lost to the warriors in 6 games and were outplayed in most of them.Not avery johnson he's not the answer
Pax sucks. He should have been canned. I cant believe the bulls made the playoffs. Vinnie, you rock!
Vinny Fired Noooooooooooooooo. He was just becoming a bad coach.
Good!!!! Had no business of being a head coach in the first place. It still bugs me till this day that he didn't know to have his best player on the court in the 4th quarter. I would like to see Doug Collins as the new bulls head coach.
It is time to get Avery Johnson pleas get him great coach
And keap kirk hinrich he will be a good back op for rose
In a stunning reversal of expectations, Jerry Reinsdorf, Chairman of the Chicago Bulls, today dismissed John Paxson, for actions unbefitting an executive of the Bulls administration. No one was saddened.
i feel that Pax should be fired as well at that news conference, earlier in the year i was calling for Vinny's head,but after that situation with Paxson & all those injuries the Bulls endured,he held this team together& got them into the playoffs ,i feel he should at least gotten the chance to finish his contract out,not to keen on those recycled coaches unless its Jeff Van Gundy or Avery Johnson,i cant see Phil Jackson coming here
@CubFanBlue
Well if well not if but when the Bulls start falling apart next season you will remember this article.
What the Bulls going to do now? The Bulls are going to get..LOL..assistant Bulls coach Bernie Bickerstaff to coach the Bulls? Yeah how many NBA teams Bickerstaff coached and got fired from.
Look the Bulls...well...they made a mistake firing Del Negro...but...if the Bulls want a new coach better get a new coach. What I mean no coach who was a NBA coach for 10 other NBA teams. If that is the case then the Bulls are doomed no matter how many Roses, Noahs, and some "superstar" free-agent they may or may not get.
It's time to get Avery Johnson or bust.
It is the Chicago Bulls; what have we come to expect? The Bulls have had plenty of opportunity to be a formidible team over the years. Sure Krause drove the dynasty into the ground, but with all those coverted draft picks, what do we have to show for it? Eddie Curry, Tyson Chandler, Deng, Ron Artest, Jay Williams, Jamal Crawford; there have been a ton of opportunities. What is the common denominator? John Paxson. Just because old #5 hit a 3 in Phoenix shouldn't be a cause for a free pass.
Vinny did as well as he could with the garbage Pax assembled.
FRANK WILSON go away. Why are you even reading this article if you hate the NBA? Is it because you are addicted to drama and love posting highly critical comments when you admittedly do not know or watch the sport?
Under the circumstances, Vinny did a great job. He wasn't the right person in the first place, but he did well with what he had. I admire him greatly.
Let's talk Avery Johnson!!!!!! We need someone with some fire!
BIG MISTAKE!!!! BIG MISTAKE.
What the Bulls going to do get some rehash coach that coached what...some 10 other NBA teams such as Van Gundy? That is all owners and GM's in the NBA do. All they do is get some coach who was a former coach of another NBA team and make him coach hoping for that "coveted NBA championship" that never comes because the coach is some "rehash" coach that was fired from 10 other NBA teams.
Del Negro is being thrown under the bus because he can't get along with Paxson and Foreman.
Paxson is the one who should get fired not Del Negro.
It will be really funny the Bulls next season after the small progress they made getting to the first round of the playoffs all the sudden fall to last place in the NBA. All because "oh the Bulls and the fans don't like Del Negro?"
Only fan NBA fan stupidity in Chicago. Only in Chicago.
Really a big mistake and a sad day.
Hence why I watch NFL over the "waste of time" NBA. Immature players, immature GM's, dumb owners, and more things that are wrong with the NBA.
Pax is the one who should be fired. He failed to land D'Antoni or Collins and "settled" for Del Negro. And what did Vinny have to work with besides Rose and Noah?
He gets to take his $2 million and find a new job--way to go! Good luck finding another patsy to tolerate the Bulls front office and their nonsense.
Yes!