Imrem: Reinsdorf times two adds mystery to Bulls situation

The NBA All-Star Game has been played, so it's time to get back to the Tom Thibodeau watch.

Will the Bulls fire their head coach after the season? Will he beg to get out of his contract? Will the parties find a way to coexist? Will it matter how the season unfolds or even unravels? Will anything matter?

Only one thing is believed to be certain at this point: Thibodeau and Bulls management have a fractured relationship.

Despite the media time devoted to analyzing the subject, one mysterious component has been overlooked: Two Reinsdorfs are at the top of the Bulls' organizational structure now.

Jerry Reinsdorf, of course, remains as club chairman, and it's unlikely that anything transpires without his knowledge and perhaps approval.

Meanwhile, Michael Reinsdorf has been Bulls president and chief operating officer since Sept. 13, 2010.

Jerry Reinsdorf's son has maintained a relatively low profile while running the day-to-day operation.

When most observers consider the Bulls, the question remains, "what is Jerry thinking?" Maybe it should be, "what is Michael thinking?"

Let's do a little speculating on both of them.

First, Jerry Reinsdorf must have a few thoughts about the predicament.

One, he doesn't want to pay Thibodeau to not coach the Bulls the next two seasons.

Two, the Bulls have had such a difficult time hiring coaches that the chairman wouldn't want to go through the process again.

Three, he probably can't imagine finding a coach as good as Thibodeau has been for nearly five seasons here.

Four, the Bulls won six NBA titles with general manager Jerry Krause and head coach Phil Jackson on acrimonious terms, so it can work.

Yes, all of that, or at least some of it, must be on Jerry Reinsdorf's mind.

But then there's president and COO Michael Reinsdorf.

This part of the equation is a little murkier because he hasn't been involved in Chicago sports for decades like his father has been.

Whispers have been that Reinsdorf the Younger saw a need to remove and replace some longtime personnel within the Bulls' organization.

Haven't some already had their roles reduced? Aren't some already gone? Will some others be leaving soon?

It sure seems that way.

Now let's go to the wildfire raging between Thibodeau on one side and general manager Gar Forman-executive vice president John Paxson on the other.

As the day-to-day, hands-on, in-charge honcho, Michael Reinsdorf probably has a more intimate knowledge of the issues involved than Jerry Reinsdorf does.

Father might know best, as they say, but we'll assume Michael Reinsdorf knows more in this case.

The inkling here is that Michael Reinsdorf and Forman have grown close, which wouldn't bode well for Thibodeau and his distant demeanor.

So if the Bulls' environment becomes so toxic that a choice must be made, Forman and by extension Paxson would prevail over Thibodeau.

Ah, but then comes the matter of whether Jerry Reinsdorf would allow Michael Reinsdorf to overrule his reasons for not wanting to change head coaches. You would think the father would have to let the son make the call as long as he has put him in charge … but who knows?

This isn't exactly the hip-hop TV series "Empire," but family businesses sure can get complicated.

mimrem@dailyherald.com