My latest column for the Chicago Tribune is on Jeff Van Gundy and Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau.

You also can access the column on Twitter at @Sherman_Report.

From the column:

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Jeff Van Gundy usually operates without a filter. Whatever thought pops into his brain often does a beeline straight to his mouth.

But the outspoken NBA analyst says he might have to switch on his rarely used internal censor when it comes to discussing Tom Thibodeau‘s shaky relationship with the Bulls.

“I’ve been asked by (Leon Rose of CAA, the firm that represents Thibodeau) to tone it down a bit,” Van Gundy said this week.

In the wake of Derrick Rose’s latest injury, the coach’s future likely will be brought up during ABC‘s telecast of the Clippers-Bulls game Sunday. Mike Breen, Van Gundy, Mark Johnson and Doris Burke will be on the call. Everything seems to be on the table for a franchise that Van Gundy says “feels snake-bit.”

Previously, speculation about Thibodeau’s status provoked Van Gundy to rail about Bulls management during an ESPN telecast of a January game in Dallas. He alleged the Bulls were leaking stories “to undermine” Thibodeau.

The Bulls quickly fired back. Van Gundy said Bulls general manager Gar Forman, who was at the game, berated him at halftime. “He called me a bunch of names,” Van Gundy said.

Two days later, John Paxson, the Bulls’ executive vice president of basketball operations, told the Tribune the remarks were “pathetic” and alleged that Van Gundy “was trying to protect his friend.”

Van Gundy said the incident resulted in him receiving a call from Thibodeau’s agent.

“He asked that I not say anything bad about (Thibodeau’s relationship with the Bulls). It was getting people upset,” Van Gundy said. “I told him I have a job to do, but at the same time, I don’t want to do anything to hurt Tom.”