The Bulls’ hiring of Tom Thibodeau is in and of itself a great maneuver. Thibodeau, long considered a defensive guru and a major component of the Celtics’ ridiculous defense the last two years. He’s widely respected and was considered an obvious choice (seriously, the Bulls could ink LeBron on the first day of free agency and still find a way to look bad doing it).
But there is another element, and it’s one that bears discussion. Thibodeau recently signed with CAA member (I know, you’ll never believe it) William Wesley. Man, who didn’t see that coming. And as Adrian Wojnarowski outlines in his Yahoo! report this morning, it’s that move that prompted the Bulls to move a little switfter in swooping up Thibs, on account of Wesley’s relationship with James.
The Bulls’ candidacy as a suitor for James began as a trickle, then turned into stream, then became a river, and now it is the broken dam, water rushing down the valley sweeping away homes, livestock, and the occasional 7-11. It reeks of a massive plan, instituted by a team that hasn’t exactly shown a “mastermind” element over the last few years.
What’s more confusing is Wesley’s role in all of this. Wesley’s phenomenally powerful, there’s no doubt about that. But his specific role within the James camp is the subject of conflicting reports. There is a definitive sense that Wesley’s in the room, but the question is whether he’s a vocal participant, or a wallflower. The wallflower idea was growing steam, but then one of his client coaches was hired by a major suitor, one that Woj claims is now in the lead.
But riddle me this.We know the top free agents have been discussing the highs and lows of this whole process for a while. We know CAA is involved in this process. And we know Wesley just recently began formally representing coaches for CAA.
So what happens if the Bulls’ maneuvering sets off an arms escalation and the Nets respond with hiring John Calipari, another Wesley buddy. The ramifications of this kind of approach could develop a power base for CAA and Wesley for years, across multiple teams.
I know, I know, massive speculation is no one’s friend. I’m with you on that. My point is more that it cannot be understated the ridiculous levels the James pursuit has reached. Thibodeau was hired for many legitimate reasons and should make a great head coach.
But having friends of friends never hurt either.
