A possible full-on coaching search for the Chicago Bulls would be great to see happen soon, especially with an option being former Nets HC Kenny Atkinson.
Although it does not seem to be even close to underway in the public eye, the Chicago Bulls would certainly please their fan base if they were to undertake a head coaching change in the near future. Current Bulls head coach Jim Boylen didn’t help the rebuild take a step forward in its second or third year. He was interim head coach, who replaced Fred Hoiberg, last season. And then he received a three-year contract extension to become the full on Bulls head coach last offseason.
Boylen has not lived up to the billing thus far as the Bulls head coach. He’s managed a record of 39-84 during his time with the organization. During the shortened 2019-20 regular season, Boylen registered a record of 22-43 through 65 games before the novel coronavirus pandemic placed the season on pause back in mid-March.
The Bulls wound up being one of the six teams in the Eastern Conference that won’t be competing in the NBA’s 22-team restart plan, with games planned to start on July 31 at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL. The only team outside of the playoff picture in the East that will be competing at Disney World next month is the Washington Wizards.
This was a very poor result for the Bulls for the second year in a row under Boylen’s wing. It also makes three consecutive years where the Bulls miss the playoffs. Maybe it is time for the Bulls to consider another direction for head coach.
A potential candidate that could emerge in a coaching search this offseason has already been mentioned. Former Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson was let go earlier in the season, and will be one of the more notable candidates to land a job in quick fashion elsewhere. Atkinson was already considered to be on the Bulls radar by now.
Here’s a look into the three reasons why Atkinson would be the perfect head coaching candidate to replace Boylen with the Bulls.