May 28--Bulls management has had issues with some of coach Tom Thibodeau's offensive philosophies, but three sources refuted a published report that the team tried to force Doug Collins onto Thibodeau's staff as an assistant last summer.
In fact, Collins initiated the idea and it came in 2013, the sources said. This was shortly after the Bulls let Ron Adams go and Collins' son, Chris, landed the Northwestern head coaching job.
Collins, according to one of the sources, talked to Thibodeau for two hours as a friendly overture to help him as an assistant focusing on the offense. Thibodeau called Collins back 10 days later to decline, which Collins understood with no issues.
Bulls management and ownership learned about Collins' overture months later, two sources said. Thibodeau chose to keep the conversation with Collins private.
