Bulls' Hoiberg excited to work with Rondo
LAS VEGAS — Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg still can’t speak publicly about the acquisition of Dwyane Wade since it hasn’t become official, but the second year coach admits he and his staff have started watching film as to how new point guard Rajon Rondo will fit around All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler and the former Heat star.
“As a staff, we’re in the process of watching a lot of film, going back to how certain teams played when certain players were on the floor,” Hoiberg said before the Bulls’ first Summer League game. “I played on a team in Minnesota with Kevin Garnett, Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell. You had three guys who could go get you a bucket at any time. Depending on what the matchup was, that’s who we went to. It worked. It was a little shaky at first. I think we were .500 after 20 games. But once we figured out, we really took off. The thing I’m really excited with our team next year is the amount of playmakers we’re going to have. That’s what the offense is all about, having guys who can get in the paint and spray it out. We still will try to get as much shooting on the floor as we can. But I’m excited about this team.”
Specifically, Hoiberg seems excited to coach the enigmatic Rondo. Hoiberg said he and Rondo watched film together during the point guard’s visit to Chicago and is looking forward to working with him.
“I’m really excited about Rajon,” Hoiberg said. “He’s a guy who can get into the paint and make plays. Obviously, being a guy who led the league in assists last year averaging almost 12 and 12. What I’m excited about is how smart and cerebral a player he is, how he can survey the floor and make the right read coming down. The more playmakers you have and the more guys who can get into the paint, the better off you are.”
The Bulls surprised many around the league with the additions of Rondo and Wade, but Hoiberg and the Bulls’ front office are at least outwardly confident that the pair will work together alongside Butler. Just like the front office though, Hoiberg didn’t want to publicly commit to Butler as the leader of the team when given the opportunity.
“It’s a team sport,” Hoiberg said. “We’re not talking golf or tennis here. We’ve got to have five players on the floor out there meshing together. Jimmy’s one of the top players in the world right now, and I know he’s excited about the moves that we made this offseason. He’s excited to get out there. He has a great opportunity in front of him these next couple months with Team USA, and he’s excited to get to Chicago after that and get to work with his teammates. So yeah, it’s a team game.”
After the Bulls dealt Derrick Rose to the Knicks before the NBA draft, Bulls GM Gar Forman said his team needed to get younger and more athletic. Two weeks later Forman and the Bulls stunned many around the league by adding the two high priced veterans. When he was hired last season, Hoiberg was sold as an offensive innovator who would get the ball moving up and down the floor. By adding Rondo and Wade, the Bulls added two of the worst three-pointing shooting guards in the league. Still, Hoiberg is hopeful that he will find a way to make it all work.
“I think that’s what coaching is all about is to figure out what the best system is based on the talent of your players,” Hoiberg said. “When I was in college, I had a lot of fifth-year transfer kids and guys who were in there for one year. The big thing we tried to do is make the style fit the personnel. I played a different style pretty much every year I was there, at least the first three. It’s about molding your system and philosophy to who’s going to be on the floor and hopefully play unselfishly. It’s still predicated on ball movement. And again if you have multiple playmakers, that helps everybody.”
