Bulls Watch: Another Phil Jackson rumor

Here's a glance at some of the latest developments as the Bulls search for a new coach and prepare to court top free agents:

Another Phil rumor: There was a report from ESPN late Monday that the Bulls have reached out to Lakers coach Phil Jackson, whose contract expires at the end of the season. The story claimed it was one of those third-party contacts, so the Bulls supposedly wouldn't be guilty of tampering.

In some ways, this is old news. On the day Vinny Del Negro was fired, the Daily Herald reported that Jackson would be their first choice if he was interested - a big if. With LeBron James already thinking about the Bulls in free agency, it raised the possibility of a dream pairing featuring Phil and LeBron.

At the same time, it's smart for Jackson to show interest in the Bulls because it helps his leverage with the Lakers. Jackson admitted last week the Lakers have asked him to take a cut from this year's $12 million salary.

Thibodeau on the rise: The Bulls are getting serious about Boston assistant Tom Thibodeau, who is said to be the frontrunner for the New Orleans job. The Bulls are hoping to meet with Thibodeau as soon as possible, perhaps in preparation for a preemptive offer. It's the Celtics call on when an interview can happen.

Thibodeau is an 18-year NBA assistant. He worked under Jeff Van Gundy in New York and Houston, and is often credited for Boston's defensive game plans, which worked brilliantly against Cleveland in the second round and during the 2008 title run.

Maurice Cheeks remains a leading candidate for the Bulls job, while Lawrence Frank has dropped to third on the list. Some league sources believe Thibodeau could be the Bulls' favorite if they can be the Hornets to the punch.