It hasn't exactly been the best kept secret, and on Thursday, the Chicago Bulls made it official. After months of rumors swirling around the future of Tom Thibodeau, Bulls general manager Gar Forman announced that Chicago's coach of five years would not be retained for next season.

In a released statement, Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf spoke of the team's history of success and how it was founded on an organizational culture. "Unfortunately, there has been a departure from this culture. To ensure that the Chicago Bulls can continue to grow and succeed, we have decided that a change in head coaching position is required," Reinsdorf said.

Forman spoke of a similar sentiment saying, "It is our strong belief that there needs to be a culture of communication that builds a trust throughout his organization. From the players, to the coaches, to the management and to the front office, a culture when everybody is pulling in the same direction. When that culture is sacrificed, it becomes extremely difficult to evolve and to grow. And today's decision was about giving this team an opportunity to grow into the future."

It appears the rumors of an internal struggle between management and Thibodeau are merited with Reinsdorf and Forman's statements. As far as coaching goes, the 2010-2011 NBA Coach of the Year consistently put out a competitive team despite the slew of injuries the team has suffered over the years.

He had an impressive .647 win percentage in the regular season (255-139) during his stint with the Bulls, numbers that are particularly striking considering Derrick Rose only in 181 of the 394 games he coached.

Said Bulls vice president John Paxson, "Obviously, there was a breakdown. That's not a secret by any stretch of the imagination. If we were in a championship series right now, this conversation would not be had, so people that want to jump the gun are mistaken."