Chicago Bulls: Paxson’s latest comments are laughable
The Chicago Bulls performance this season is no laughing matter, but John Paxson’s latest comments sure are.
John MacBeth Paxson, Chicago Bulls Vice President of Basketball Operations thinks you’re stupid. He must. There’s simply no other explanation for his latest comments made during an interview with 670 the Score’s David Schuster.
Paxson attempted to sell fans another bill of goods when he reminded everyone that this rebuild is “going to take time.” Perhaps it’s fitting that his middle name is MacBeth, as it reminds us of the famous quote from Shakespeare’s classic:
"“To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,To the last syllable of recorded time;And all our yesterdays have lighted fools.”"
Although Paxson must think fans are the fools, as they are the ones who have been waiting for the rebuild to turn the corner. Yet it seems like it is indefinite in duration, always waiting for “tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow.”
And there’s the rub. This rebuild is already in its fourth year and the team seems further away than when they started following the 2014-15 season when they hired Fred Hoiberg.
If you recall, Paxson and his equally incompetent sidekick, Gar Forman, tried to convince fans that Hoiberg was the right man for the job — exactly the kind of person the organization needed to lead the rebuild. Someone who presented a softer approach to Tom Thibodeau and could connect with the younger players. They wanted a coach who was a better communicator with their players.
Fast forward to this season and the Bulls relieved Hoiberg of his duties and elevated Jim Boylen to the position, removing the interim tag almost immediately. Why? Well, it seems the Bulls don’t really want a better communicator. They want a disciplinarian — you know, someone like oh I don’t know — Tom Thibodeau?
In the same interview, Paxson made some revealing comments about his roster:
"“This is a different era with players. They have people surrounding them, telling them what they want to hear, not what they need to hear. We need our guys to be told what they need. Jim has that forceful voice.”"
Unreal. All that was missing were a few stereotypical comments about Millennials and the quote would have been complete. Ironically, Paxson went on to say that the Bulls (and other teams) must build through the draft unless they can sign a player like LeBron James or Kevin Durant. Well, they can forget about signing any big-time free agent, with the Draconian environment they’re creating.
The ignorance revealed by Paxson’s statement is breathtaking. Look, this isn’t the 1990s anymore. Times have changed. Players have changed. The only thing that hasn’t changed is the Bulls’ front office approach. And if they continue to believe that browbeating your players with a fire and brimstone coach is the way to go, they will remain in this rebuild indefinitely.
dark. Next. Could Jabari Parker be headed to the Knicks?
As it is, Paxson made it clear that they aren’t close to competing. In emphasizing that this current rebuild will take time, Paxson stated “[i]t does take time. And whether that’s three years, four years, five years, if we grow and develop and start winning at some point, then people are going to see.”
Three, four, or five years? So did he really just say that when it’s all said and done, this could be a nine-year rebuild? If that is the case, then Paxson and Forman may be the only ones still watching.