Another crazy morning for the Chicago Bulls now directly involves second-year head coach Billy Donovan. Just as the Bulls were starting to return to health in terms of getting players back that entered the league’s health and safety protocol in the last few weeks, their head coach is now entering the protocol.
Donovan reportedly entered the league’s health and safety protocol on Dec. 24, meaning that he is likely to miss at least a week for the Bulls. Depending on how quickly he can clear the protocol, it might be 2022 until we see Donovan back on the sideline for the Bulls.
With Donovan now in the protocol, the Bulls will have assistant Chris Fleming serve as the interim head coach. Fleming is one of the most notable Bulls assistants, so this should be interesting with him serving as the interim head coach.
Chicago Bulls will have assistant Chris Fleming serving as the interim head coach with Billy Donovan in the health and safety protocol
Chris Fleming will serve as interim head coach while Donovan is out
— Jamal Collier (@JamalCollier) December 24, 2021
Fleming is a third-year assistant coach for the Bulls who is one of the brighter offensive minds in the NBA. Prior to joining the Bulls staff back during the 2019-20 season under former head coach Jim Boylen, Fleming was on staff with the Brooklyn Nets for three seasons.
He also started out his run in the NBA coaching ranks on staff with the Denver Nuggets during the 2015-16 season. Fleming would only spend one season with the Nuggets before joining the Nets staff.
Chicago's Billy Donovan is the fourth NBA coach to enter into Covid protocols, including the Lakers' Frank Vogel, Indiana's Rick Carlisle and Sacramento's Alvin Gentry. Bulls assistant Chris Fleming will be acting head coach in Donovan's absence.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 24, 2021
Donovan is reportedly the fourth NBA head coach to enter the health and safety protocol this season. the others are the Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel, Indiana Pacers’ Rick Carlisle, and Sacramento Kings’ Alvin Gentry. The Lakers actually faced the Bulls in their first game without Vogel as head coach when he was in the protocol earlier this month.
Next up for the Bulls out of the Christmas break is a meeting with the division foe Pacers at home at the United Center on Dec. 26. Fleming and the Bulls will carry a record of 19-10 into that matchup against the Pacers at home on Dec. 26.