Apr 30, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau reacts to a call during the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks in game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Wizards Shouldn’t Hire Thibodeau

The Washington Wizards are expected to fire Randy Wittman right after the conclusion of this season, and he could lose his job as early as Thursday morning.

Now that Washington is officially out of the playoff race, the real interesting part of the off-season will begin. The Wizards are going to be faced with plenty of franchise-altering decisions – one being the hiring of a new head coach.

Throughout the course of the season, Wizards fans and pundits alike have speculated on potential hires. Names like Jeff Van Gundy, Sam Cassell, Becky Hammon and Mike D’Antoni have all surfaced on the web as candidates.

Recently, SB Nation’s Tom Ziller wrote a list about coaching changes and he included the Wizards.

Ziller, like many others, predicted that Washington would hire Tom Thibodeau, who was fired last season by the Chicago Bulls.

Candidates: Thibodeau should be the No. 1 candidate for this job — Wall would thrive in a system like the one Thibs coached in Chicago, and Washington could use the defensive accountability. Prediction: Thibodeau.

Thibodeau essentially lives for basketball. If the Washington Wizards are looking for a dedicated coach who will undoubtedly devote virtually all of his time to the team, then they shouldn’t look elsewhere.

Thibs, a former Coach of the Year recipient, was an assistant coach of the Wizards for less than a week under Eddie Jordan in 2007.

Thibs was given a multi-year contract while the rest of the assistants were under just a one-year deal, which made Thibs uncomfortable. Basically, Ernie Grunfeld hired Thibs as a possible replacement for Jordan.

Head coaches typically hire their assistants, but Grunfeld hired Thibs, which made the situation more complicated. Instead of sticking around, Thibs bounced quicker than Mike Bibby.

Thibs gained popularity by helping the Boston Celtics become elite defensively in 2008, eventually playing a big part in their championship run.

After that, he took a job as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls. He led them to their first division title since Michael Jordan donned their jersey.

However, Thibs’ wacky relationship with Chicago’s front office eventually led to his firing.

Before I get into why the Wizards shouldn’t hire him, I have to say: Thibs is certainly one of the most recognizable, accomplished coaches available on the market.

There is no one in the NBA that is more dedicated to their craft than Thibs.

He absolutely lives and breathes the game.

But, the Wizards should look for a hungry, young coach that will help the team gain a new identity – not the old one.

Thibs is not strictly a defensive-mind. I’m certain – given his coaching acumen – that he would be able to craft a solid offense built around players that could actually perform.

Regardless, Thibs would bring more of the same for Washington, and I’m not certain that’s what they need.

Thibs is a disciplinarian who became notorious for getting the most out of his players. His player development wasn’t short of outstanding. He helped Jimmy Butler and Joakim Noah become stars. But, he also helped run Noah and Luol Deng into the ground by failing to properly monitor their minutes.

Thibs is essentially Randy Wittman on steroids.

Even though we constantly complain about Wittman, the Wizards wouldn’t have achieved the success they did in the past few years without his commitment and attention to defensive detail. His player development was a failure and Thibs would certainly be an upgrade, but the Wizards need a new voice – not one that sounds like Wittman’s.

Thibs would not be the worst hire in the world and the fans shouldn’t riot if he’s the team’s guy (really, we don’t even know if he would coach in Washington), but there are better alternatives.

Washington should pursue a coach that will help the team form a new identity and someone who will fully embrace the ever-changing game.

The likes of Ime Udoka, Jay Larranaga and Kenny Atkinson would instantly bring a new attitude and fresh feel to the team, which is one of the primary things the team needs from their head coach. The Washington Wizards are not built like the Bulls teams that Thibs coached.

John Wall, Bradley Beal, Kelly Oubre, Otto Porter and Markieff Morris are expected to be in the nation’s capital for quite some time. They need a leader that will embrace their games and the evolution of the game. At this point, I’m not certain a recycled head coach – even one as recognized and accomplished as Thibs – is the answer.