Dear John,
As I sit here writing this letter, I still find myself having trouble coming to terms with how we found ourselves at this point. Looking back on our time together, I remember fondly the good times we had. That sweet summer night back in Phoenix in '93. The desert was hot that night my friend, but you were a different degree altogether. You gave me everything I had ever dreamed of and more...and now, twenty-five and a half years later, I am left with no choice but to beg for my release from your influence. We were on top of the world that night in the desert, and I fear you used that one, fleeting, incredible moment to secure a lifetime of forgiveness and second chances.
I don't mean for this to blindside you, and in all honesty I don't understand how it could. We've been together in our current capacity for fifteen years now, and while it felt comfortable at the time, I can only recall two or three truly great years together. Years where I can look back and say with full confidence and a smile on face that you made me happy. Really, genuinely happy. Again, I don't mean to hurt you, it is not my intent, but we have reached a crossroads. You and I have become two very different people going in two very different directions, and the time has come to part ways.
You probably have a million questions running through your mind right now, and I understand, but please I need you to let me finish...
So, how did we get here? Well, it was rocky from the jump. The very first thing you did was promise on something you couldn't deliver, but we were young and you had panache so I bought in. Then over the course of that first year together, it felt like we couldn't buy a win. If I had to put a percentage on it I would say I was happy about 28% of the time but I felt I owed you more of a chance. After all, it's tough to build a culture in one year and shortly after showing my faith, you delivered. Our next year together was a revelation, the situation showed amazing improvement, and I once again fell back into your ever confident arms only to be let down by another sub-par to average year following that one. That was then followed by fleeting glimpses of hope, which beget yet further disappointment, and then more hope, and more disappointment and so on and so forth in a never ending pattern of complacency and dysfunction until today: January 22nd, 2018. Today is the day I beg you once and for all to let me go. I need to start a new chapter in my life, a chapter post-you.
Again, as I write this I need you to know that I do appreciate the years and efforts you have given us. You played for us, you coached for us, you traded LaMarcus Alridge away for Tyrus Thomas, you have done a lot for us over the years; plenty in fact. Way more than enough. You gave fifteen goodish years for us and your contributions to this team will not soon be forgotten.
I will never forget that shot in Phoenix in June of '93 to send Barkley and the Suns back to the locker room left wanting what was rightfully ours. I also won't forget that Michael Jordan scored every single other point in that 4th quarter before you finally found yourself wide open on the perimeter for the game winner.
I will never forget when you lucked into the first overall pick and got to select the hometown kid D-Rose over Michael Beasley, a player Gar no doubt fawned over and probably wanted to draft instead*.
I will never forget when you choked Vinny Del Negro and then apologized for choking Vinny Del Negro, right before you and Gar fired Vinny Del Negro, calling it a necessary change in order to bring the team to the next level, an identical answer to the one given after the firing of Tom Thibodeau, and then shortly after that with Fred Hoiberg. I remember the dismissal of Ron Adams in 2013 - the guy who has been voted best assistant by NBA GMs the last 4 years in a row - because again, it was in the best interest of the team.** I remember hearing that he was upset at the drafting of Marquis Teague over Draymond Green...something I forgot about until I watched Green take a massive leap developmentally and help lead the Warriors to the championship in 2015. I remember because that was Ron Adams first year with the Warriors.
I'll never forget when you traded two picks for Doug McDermott or that those picks ended up being Jusuf Nurkic and Gary Harris, two players who happen to be better than Doug McDermott. And then I remember you trading Dougie, along with Taj and a 2nd round pick in an effort to avoid criticism for failing to make moves at the deadline. Luckily we got "high potential" Cam Payne back to go with the 3 months of Joffrey Lauvergne and Anthony Morrow. Then, after that trade I remember you said the coaching staff wanted McDermott, a fact that is not at all surprising when you consider that you and Gar are in charge of picking the coaching staffs.
I remember when you and Gar low balled up and coming star Jimmy Butler and allegedly threatened to sit him to hurt his value if he didn't agree to the deal. I remember you completing the Three Alphas with two players who couldn't shoot a lick, brought in to help your hand selected coach with an offense designed to be fast paced with significant spacing (i.e. shooting). I remember bringing in Michael Carter Williams to help with that same offense. I remember that we did all of this in an effort to "retool" because we didn't want to rebuild, because rebuilding takes too much time and effort and intelligence.
I remember your Christmas morning interview when you stated that it's difficult to draft outside of the top 10. Sure, guys like Kawhi and Giannis are 15th overall picks, but I get what you mean when you say the value just isn't there "unless you're lucky like we were with Jimmy Butler years ago." I remember reading that and thinking that you literally just admitted you don't know what you are doing, that surely you would be fired by the end of the season.
That was over two years ago.
We're still the most dysfunctional team in the league. We still haven't found our coach. The best free agent signings you've made in FIFTEEN YEARS are Kyle Korver, Carlos Boozer, Mike Dunleavy, and a 35 year old Pau Gasol so there isn't any real hope in that department. Sure, you brought in a big name in Dwyane Wade. All it took was $40 million for a year and change, what a bargain!
I need to wrap this up soon because reliving all of these moments is going to bring me to a very dark place, but I cannot do so until I say my final piece and ask you for the only favor I have ever asked you for.
John, I need you to just go way and get out of my life. Quit, pack up you bags, buy a house on the beach somewhere and enjoy the rest of your days. Your job is stressful and pressure filled and it's just not for everyone. There will always be major expectations with this organization and, quite frankly, Chicago is always going to be upset with you because you're always going to suck at your job. You've been at it for a decade and a half and still haven't the slightest clue how to run a functional organization. People learn how to perform brain surgery in less time than it's taken you to figure out how to adequately run a basketball team.
You know the Reinsdorfs will never fire you or Gar and I know that too. That is why I am asking from the bottom of my heart for you to let go. You need to avoid thinking of this as criticism and see it for what it is: a plain stating of the facts. You did do all of those things I just mentioned and that is why I am asking you to step away. Because at this point it's fair to say that I think you have done enough.
Sincerely.
PS - Take your idiot brother with you
*Speculation, but probably true.
**Best decision for Gar. Easier to suck at your job when one of your employees isn't constantly pointing out that you suck at your job.
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