Fred Hoiberg's contract details could make him a fixture on the Chicago Bulls' sidelines for at least couple more seasons. Hoiberg, with NCAA coaching credentials that were not amazing, signed a five-year deal worth almost $25M in 2015. At the end of the current season, he will be two seasons through that contract, and so far they have not been great seasons. Last year the Bulls missed the playoffs and this season they are barely in. With three years left on his contract, Hoiberg will be tough to fire because the Bulls would still be paying him for a long time.
Hoiberg subject of criticism
However, if he wants to avoid some of the sharp criticisms that are out there against him then winning a playoff series will help. One recent piece that didn't exactly flatter Hoiberg was published at ESPN.com on March 29th. Hoiberg finished dead last on a 30-coach list of "Management Rankings" in the NBA.
The Bulls will open their playoffs as the eight seed against the Boston Celtics on Sunday. The coaching match-up certainly suggests that it's the C's that will advance to the 2nd round. From the same ESPN list, Brad Stevens is rated third among 30 coaches. Stevens and Hoiberg were contemporaries in NCAA college coaching with the former making two national finals despite heading what was previously a small-time program in the Butler Bulldogs.
Tyrone Lue needs some success
Another coach that could definitely use a strong post-season is Tyrone Lue, the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Lue was ranked 10th of 30 coaches on the March ESPN list. That's not that highly regarded for the coach that won the NBA championship last season.
With a loaded roster this current season, Lue went just 51-31 and wasn't that far off from finishing 4th in the NBA's Eastern Conference.
He takes a team in the playoffs that is cold, having lost 15 of 27 games since the All-Star game. The Cavaliers don't have to play their absolute best to beat the Indiana Pacers. But if the Cavs don't make at least the conference finals, then Lue could face a lot of heat.
In many ways, the Eastern Conference playoffs are where Stevens can really prove himself to be an elite NBA coach.
In truth, he's already regarded as such by many, but the playoff success isn't there at the NBA level. If he beats the Bulls and then lasts longer than the Cleveland Cavaliers in the post-season, then he will undoubtedly emerge as the face of the next coaching generation in the NBA, keeping in mind that he just recently turned 40.
