Chicago Bulls: 3 potential home run head coaching hires

3. Kenny Atkinson

A name that is already commonly mentioned in connection with the Bus head coaching job is the former Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson. The current assumed shortlist of candidates usually includes Atkinson as the most recognizable name. He’s also one of the few recent proven NBA head coaches that the Bulls could realistically hire.

The situation that the Bulls find themselves in now also plays right into what Atkinson showed he was capable of during his tenure with the Nets. He really turned a little into a lot, helping the young Nets breakthrough as one of the surprise teams in the Eastern Conference during the 2018-19 season.

In his last season with the Nets, Atkinson rounded out with a record of 28-34. But he still put the largely injured Nets on a path to make the playoffs for the second straight year. The Nets did that without superstar forward Kevin Durant playing a single game this season and point guard Kyrie Irving missing a ton of games with a lingering shoulder injury.

Atkinson pushed the Nets to finish up with a record of 42-40 in his last full season. He’s also served on coaching staffs with the Houston Rockets (director of player development) and the Atlanta Hawks (assistant and interim head coach). He’s got a healthy amount of proven experience in multiple roles in the NBA coaching ranks.