Chicago Bulls Rumors: Competition for coaching favorite heating up

The Chicago Bulls have an ideal coaching candidate out there to replace Jim Boylen, but they’re not the only team interested.

While it hasn’t officially been the offseason over the last few months, the Chicago Bulls sure have operated like it. Fans have had plenty to watch and keep up with, even without live NBA basketball.

It started when the organization decided to move away from John Paxson as their Vice President of Basketball Operations. Following that move, they brought in Arturas Karnisovas from the Denver Nuggets to fill the void.

Going forward, Karnisovas will have full control of basketball decisions within the Bulls’ organization. He made his most impactful initial hiring when he brought in Marc Eversley, formerly of the Philadelphia 76ers, to take on the general manager role.

Yep, the GarPax era was officially over. Gar Forman, along with Paxson, were out. Now it’s Karnisovas and Eversley’s show.

The one funny situation, and a decision that has yet to be made, is the inevitable firing of Jim Boylen as head coach. However, for a while now there have been rumblings of the Bulls ultimately moving on and replacing him with one of a few options.

Current 76ers assistant Ime Udoka is one of those candidates which plenty of outlets have linked to the Bulls, dating all the way back to April. He would be an ideal fit to replace Boylen; one whom many fans would welcome immediately.

But, there is another team which has set their eyes on Udoka — and that team indeed has a head coach vacancy, unlike the Bulls, who do not yet officially have one.

The New York Knicks, like the Bulls, are one of the eight teams left out of the Orlando bubble and will not resume their 2019-2020 season. They are also without a head coach, and that’s where they have a small leg up on the Bulls.

Granted, it’s unlikely a decision will be made until after the 76ers finish their season, but the Knicks are definitely in a better position than the Bulls. All it takes is a simple decision on behalf of Karnisovas to fire Boylen, and fans would feel just a tad bit better about the team’s future.

To not have fired him yet seems a bit odd, and who knows what Karnisovas is thinking. What we do know is this: Udoka will have other suitors, along with Chicago, so Karnisovas better formulate a solid plan if he is to get what many people believe to be “his guy.”

For months now, it has been the Bulls and only the Bulls mentioned in reference to Udoka’s future in coaching. Now, there are two. It’s time to get Boylen out of here, Arturas.