Coaching Carousel: Impact David Fizdale-Knicks firing has on Chicago Bulls

The New York Knicks fired their head coach earlier this week, and maybe the Chicago Bulls think about doing the same later this season.

The first major coaching news of the regular season dropped a bomb on the NBA on Dec. 6, with the reported parting ways between the New York Knicks and now former head coach David Fizdale. Considering the Knicks and the Chicago Bulls both had problems from the top down since the start of the 2019-20 regular season, this head coach firing could have an impact stemming all the way to the Windy City.

If the Knicks were to keep Fizdale around throughout the regular season, it could make John Paxson and Gar Forman more reserved about the moves they make concerning Bulls head coach Jim Boylen. But the Knicks making the move to get rid of Fizdale could put the heat on other head coaches that could have their names added to the NBA coaching carousel list in the middle of this regular season.

Before joining the Knicks as their head coach in 2018, Fizdale was leading the Memphis Grizzlies for two seasons. Fizdale racked up a career record of 50-51 during his tenure in Memphis. And he had a record of 21-83 before the Knicks saw him out the door earlier this week.

However, all the struggles the Knicks went through wasn’t the fault of Fizdale. That dysfunction stems all the way from the ownership (Jim Dolan) down to the players. The Knicks just don’t have a good roster that can compete with any even competent team in the Eastern Conference.

It shouldn’t be surprising to many that the Knicks are getting blown out game in and game out. Rookie shooting guard/small forward RJ Barrett is about the only positive emerging from this horrible Knicks season. Barrett is a legitimate Rookie of the Year contender, averaging 14.4 points per game, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists so far this season.

In 81 games as the head coach of the Bulls, Boylen holds a record of 25-56. One of his worst losses as the Bulls head coach came just on Dec. 6 at home at the United Center at the hands of possibly the NBA’s worst team this season, the Golden State Warriors. And that was the second loss in a span of less than two weeks for the Bulls against the Warriors.

Maybe the poor coaching job of Boylen will translate to more pressure being put on his shoulders to succeed. This Bulls team just has too much talent to be floundering against poor competition in the East this season. The Bulls hold a record of 8-15 through the first 23 games of the 2019-20 regular season.

The Bulls and Knicks might both find themselves tanking throughout most of the regular season. With the difficult schedule the Bulls have upcoming this through the month of December, their chances to climbing up the standings in the East looks bleak.

Fizdale is likely a better, and more likable, NBA head coach than Boylen. He didn’t have much of a chance to succeed in a tough Atlantic Division this season. That might be the best division in the East. Meanwhile, the Bulls had a good chance at sliding into the playoff picture with weaker teams at the bottom of the Central Division standings like the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Yet, it might be at least a full calendar year until the Bulls even think about doing anything with Boylen. The results so far just aren’t up to par this season.