For what seems like an eternity, Tom Thibodeau’s head has been firmly cemented under the head coaching guillotine. It was simply a matter of time before the blade barreled down on him.
The way he dealt with the Jimmy Butler trade request was malpractice to say the least. He let Butler dictate the franchise’s path, alienating his two max-contract franchise players in the process. It wasn’t just Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins who Thibs rubbed the wrong way either. Faux promises to Tyus Jones and Anthony Tolliver about their roles created friction, and his grinding minute regime visibly frustrated players on multiple occasions.