The Los Angeles Lakers and their star, Kobe Bryant, both reportedly want to hire Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau to replace Mike D'Antoni. If the Lakers want Thibodeau bad enough, they may try to trade for him in the offseason like how the Los Angeles Clippers did last summer to get coach Doc Rivers.
Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in April he wouldn't consult with Bryant about who should coach the team next season, but they both appear to be on the same page. Yahoo Sports reported Thibodeau is No. 1 on Bryant's wish list of coaches for next season, and ESPN reported the Lakers plan to ask Chicago for permission to interview the coach.
News leaking about the Lakers' reported plan is a strong indication the team does plan to pursue Thibodeau this summer, provided Chicago is willing to listen.
Thibodeau and the Bulls' front office don't see eye-to-eye on everything (SEE: Luol Deng trade), and past reports have indicated friction exists between the two sides.
If Chicago were interested in trading Thibodeau, no deal likely would happen until after New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony signs somewhere in free agency.
Chicago is expected to pursue Anthony in free agency this summer, and the prospect of playing under Thibodeau would be alluring to the perennial All-Star. If Anthony signs elsewhere in July, the Bulls may become more receptive to dealing Thibodeau and collecting a future first-round pick from the Lakers -- similar to how the Boston Celtics got the Clippers' first round pick in exchange for Rivers.
Another factor to the hypothetical trade is Thibodeau's willingness to go to the Lakers, which likely depends on what the team's roster looks like by the end of the summer. The Lakers are coming off a historically bad season, but they have a lottery pick in this year's draft and the salary cap flexibility to add through free agency.
