Jimmy Butler: Bulls need new coach Fred Hoiberg to push harder [View all]

NEW YORK -- Chicago Bulls All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler had some harsh words for first-year head coach Fred Hoiberg after Saturday night's 107-91 loss to the New York Knicks.

When asked if he believed in the Bulls roster or if a shakeup was in order for players to start getting a message, Butler was blunt in his assessment.

"I believe in the guys in this locker room, yeah," Butler said. "But I also believe that we probably have to be coached a lot harder at times. I'm sorry, I know Fred's a laid-back guy, and I really respect him for that, but when guys aren't doing what they're supposed to do, you got to get on guys, myself included. You got to do what you're supposed to do when you're out there playing basketball."

The Bulls, now 15-10, have struggled in adjusting to Hoiberg's style after five seasons under former coach Tom Thibodeau. Hoiberg has a much calmer demeanor and style than Thibodeau, who ran a tighter ship than most around the league. Thibodeau earned a 255-139 record in five seasons but was fired at the end of the 2014-15 season in part because of a broken relationship with the Bulls' front office and frayed relationships with his players.


http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/jimmy-butler-bulls-coach-fred-hoiberg-push-harder/story?id=35871159