Getty Jim Boylens future with the Bulls is almost as uncertain as the NBAs in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
It’s difficult to think too hard about basketball personnel decisions when there is so much uncertainty surrounding the 2019-20 NBA season. How or if this season will have a definitive conclusion is still up in the air, but at some point, the sport and the league will be back.
When it does return, there are legitimate concerns as to whether the Chicago Bulls will retain Jim Boylen or if the team will have a new head coach.
The Current Situation in the Bulls’ Front Office
Current Bulls general manager Gar Forman hasn’t been officially removed from his duties, but there is a strong indication he is on his way out as the team reportedly used the All-Star Weekend as a time to gather information as they prepared to move in a different direction.
John Paxson, who most associate with Forman, is rumored to be staying with the organization. Paxson’s current post is as the Vice President of Basketball Operations, but that could change and it’s unclear what level of influence he’d have over the general manager position and how much if any input he’d have on player personnel decisions.
The Reported Conditions for Jim Boylen to Return
What does the seemingly imminent change in the front office mean for Boylen’s position with the organization? According to NBC Sports’ K.C. Johnson:
Reinsdorf remains supportive of Boylen. If the targeted lead candidate makes clear he or she wants to make a coaching change in the interview process, that wouldn’t be a dealbreaker. In other words, Reinsdorf won’t make a hire with the pre-existing condition that Boylen must be retained. However, Boylen has done pretty much exactly what ownership and management asked him to do upon his hiring. So that’s one reason why Reinsdorf and John Paxson have remained supportive of Boylen.
Many Bulls fans won’t be satisfied with anything short of a complete front office and sideline cleansing. This sort of switch might not be radical enough, as many of the same faces could still be in place.
However, a new general manager who demands the opportunity to also bring in a new head coach might be able to generate hope in Bulls Nation.
Interesting Candidate if Jim Boylen Was Fired
One name that is a very interesting one is Adrian Griffin. The former Bulls player and assistant coach has seemingly been accumulating experience in preparation for a lead job for years.
He’s currently the No. 1 assistant under Nick Nurse with the Toronto Raptors. Griffin won an NBA Championship last season with the Raptors which only added to his already impressive resume.
If Griffin is not at least interviewed for a potential Bulls opening, it would be a travesty. Whether he gets the opportunity remains to be seen, but Griffin would likely be a well-received successor of Boylen.