Several Chicago Bulls players were visibly distraught when they learned that Tom Thibodeau was fired as the team’s coach. Many worried about how Thibodeau would fair financially while unemployed, especially since all current NBA coaching vacancies have been filled.
However, Bulls star Jimmy Butler, who signed a reported 5-year, $95 million contract, decided to do something about it.
“It hurts. It really hurts, man,” Butler told the Chicago Sun-Times. “Where’s a 50-something year-old, overweight guy with a really bad comb-over supposed to get a job making 4 or 5 million dollars a year these days?”
According to the Butler camp, the Bulls forward is giving his former coach and mentor $1,000 per month and use of at least two of his four Mercedes Benz automobiles.
“The least I can do, since I have enough money now to bank roll a third world country,” Butler said.
Other Bulls players voiced their concerns as well.
“I can’t believe they fired Tibbs,” said seldom-used Cameron Bairstow, the Bulls 2014 second round pick. “Hopefully, he’ll get a job coaching me in the NBA D-League next year.”
“I feel for the man. I really do,” said second year player Doug McDermott. “He’s been a father figure to me, except my actual Dad, when he was my college coach, played me more than one minute and thirty seconds per game.”
