Scott Skiles Available for those who need a coach

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=750 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class="" vAlign=top width=560><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=yspsctnhdln>Skiles ends contract extension talks with Bulls</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7><SPACER height="1" width="1" type="block"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>June 7, 2005



CHICAGO (AP) -- Chicago Bulls coach Scott Skiles ended negotiations for a contract extension, a month after leading the team to its first playoff appearance in seven years.

``There will be no (extension),'' said Skiles' agent, Keith Glass. ``It's done. It's enough. There was never a deadline. Scott never gave them one. (Monday morning) I brought it to an end. We've had more than enough time to do a deal.''

The Bulls have an option to pay Skiles $2.75 million if he coaches next season, which would be the final season of his three-year deal. The team has until June 30 to exercise that option.

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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><SCRIPT type=text/javascript>if (window.yzq_a == null) document.write("<scr" + "ipt type=text/javascript src=""http://us.js1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/lib/bc/bc_1.7.0.js></scr" + "ipt>");</SCRIPT><SCRIPT type=text/javascript>if (window.yzq_a){yzq_a('p', 'P=66Eg.thtfvFe7.m7QBbVvACSRCgQzUKlvv8ABXVi&T=1415oac6l%2fX%3d1118158591%2fE%3d95861899%2fR%3dsports%2fK%3d5%2fV%3d1.1%2fW%3ddefault%2fY%3dYAHOO%2fF%3d2412204363%2fS%3d1%2fJ%3d5F776DD8');yzq_a('a', '&U=139466caq%2fN%3dyetdHNibyhY-%2fC%3d345154.6286124.7534453.1806201%2fD%3dLREC%2fB%3d2770258');}</SCRIPT><NOSCRIPT> </NOSCRIPT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>But Skiles said Monday he was unsure if he would be willing to coach next season if the Bulls exercise the option.

``Anything's possible at this point,'' Skiles said. ``I'm just in the process of going through a lot of thoughts in my head about what's best for me right now.''

General manager John Paxson declined to comment Monday. A message left for the Bulls on Tuesday was not immediately returned.

In their second season under Skiles, the Bulls improved from 19-47 to 47-35 before losing to Washington in the first round of the playoffs. Exercising the option would make Skiles a potential lame duck.

Skiles came to Chicago with a checkered reputation after spending portions of three seasons as the Phoenix Suns coach. He has said he thinks the Bulls' success this past season repaired his image.

``I've been fairly shocked by the whole process,'' Skiles said. ``I guess at 41 I haven't coached that long that I had a certain naivete about where this team has been and where we'd gotten it to that this wouldn't be a prolonged, difficult process. Keith and I are reasonable people who thought this would be pretty simple to do. We thought wrong.''





Updated on Tuesday, Jun 7, 2005 9:46 am EDT </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD height=7><SPACER height="1" width="1" type="block"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TD width=11></TD><TD class=ysprtcol1 vAlign=top width=180><!-- thin --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD height=7><SPACER height="1" width="1" type="block"></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=yspsctbg><TD class=ysptblhdr height=18></TD></TR><TR><TD class=ysptblbdr2><TABLE class=yspwhitebg cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD height=3><SPACER height="1" width="1" type="block"></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=right width=8>•</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD height=4><SPACER height="1" width="1" type="block"></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=right width=8>•</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD height=4><SPACER height="1" width="1" type="block"></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=right width=8>•</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD height=4><SPACER height="1" width="1" type="block"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD height=7><SPACER height="1" width="1" type="block"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD height=7></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

It will be an interesting off season for the Bulls. I believe Chandler and Curry are restricted free agents.

He would be a good fit for ODU

Jerry Reinsdorf, one of the stingiest bastards in all of sports. Scott Skiles was a miracle worker this past year and deserves a nice extension.

maybe Indiana University will give him a call.

Close to coach of the year, best defense in several categories. Bulls ownership turned there back on winning years ago. They put out minimum most affordable product to keep seats filled. There are a boatload of worse coaches out there, with extensions. The dynasty busters will never have the opportunity to repeat.

Best Wishes...OF:howdy:

See the Dorks, I mean Yorks of SF 49ers for football equivalent. DRAys in bases.

Dont blame this one on Reisdorf

Skiles was offered a 4 year $17M package. Would have put him in the top three for coaches in the NBA.

Seems pretty fair to me.

Skiles and his agent are taking a beating on local sports radio the past two days.

I still remember it to this day.....


Most assists, game
30-Scott Skiles, Orlando vs. Denver, December 30, 1990

I did not know he even got an offer? Well if that is true excuse me.

Best Wishes...oF:howdy:

Fishhead said:

He would be a good fit for ODU

Click to expand...

:lolBIG:

KAPPER said:

Skiles was offered a 4 year $17M package. Would have put him in the top three for coaches in the NBA.

Seems pretty fair to me.

Skiles and his agent are taking a beating on local sports radio the past two days.

Click to expand...

My bad. The story makes it sound like their only offer was to pick up the $2.75 million option. 4 years $17 mil should be just about what Skiles is looking for, provided that it is all guaranteed.

Hache Man said:

I still remember it to this day.....


Most assists, game
30-Scott Skiles, Orlando vs. Denver, December 30, 1990

Click to expand...

Come to think of it, this record may stand forever with the league turning more and more into players who are "all about me" ..........

Don't give Reinsdorf too much kudos yet. He is a master of spinning the story to make him the good guy. He basically will not negotiate with Skiles' agent. He only talks to agents who represents players. He gave a take-it-or -leave-it offer to Skiles. Skiles does have one more year at the Bulls option.


Interesting rumor is that Skiles could take the Pistons job, while the Bulls go after Phil Jackson.

After all this, Skiles uddenly signs a 4-year deal and everyone is happy.

Skiles came back to earth.

It does not get much better than coaching a good young team, playing in front of packed houses every night at home and making a ton of cash.

He is a good coach for bad teams. He instills defense and teamwork and can get teams to play better. I don't think he is a guy to take a team to the top though. He reminds me a lot of Marty Schottenheimer. If he left he would have been a great fit for Portland or Seattle if Nate doesn't come back. I think the Bulls will be disappointed if they keep the young players around and they don't manage to take those next few steps people will expect.