Chicago Bulls: 3 NBA assistants that could be the next head coach

A different hire that the Chicago Bulls could consider to replace Jim Boylen as head coach could come from the NBA assistant ranks.

Some of the most significant head coach openings around the NBA are starting to get more attention as the playoffs officially move into the second round. More teams are getting eliminated, which usually means more rampant news on the coaching carousel. But one of the openings that seems to be a very patient coaching search is with the Chicago Bulls.

Recently hired executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas (formerly the Denver Nuggets general manager) and general manager Marc Eversley (formerly the Philadelphia 76ers senior VP of player personnel) don’t want to make the wrong move with this hire. They have to get it right after parting ways with now former head coach Jim Boylen back on Aug. 14.

The firing of Boylen had to happen this offseason, to move the rebuild forward heading into its fourth year. But the Bulls didn’t get a head coaching hire right with either Boylen or former head coach (now with the Nebraska Cornhuskers hoops program) Fred Hoiberg. The Bulls haven’t found much head coaching success since Tom Thibodeau (now with the New York Knicks) was at the helm in Chicago.

One area where it appears the Bulls are looking to find their next head coaching hire is in the ranks of current NBA assistant coaches. According to a report from ESPN’s NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski on Aug. 31, the Bulls are seeking out assistant coaches to maybe conduct some early interviews (or at least continue to narrow down their list of candidates). Which assistants could be the right fit among some of those listed by Woj?

Here’s a look into three good candidates to get the Bulls head coaching job among current NBA assistants.