The wheels are in motion!
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Chicago Bulls head coach interview process is “well underway.” Additionally, the team has been granted permission to speak with multiple assistant coaches who are currently working inside the Orlando Bubble.
Milwaukee’s Darvin Ham and Denver’s Wes Unseld Jr. were both on the organization’s initial short-list of candidates. Both have also been given permission by their respective teams to talk with the Bulls, and Woj writes the two sides are, in fact, “talking.” Meanwhile, Stephen Silas of the Dallas Mavericks, Ime Udoka of the 76ers, and David Vanterpool of the Minnesota Timberwolves have been given the all-clear to interview for the Bulls position, as well.
The truly exciting part of this report, though, is that we have some new names under consideration. Not only is lead assistant Chris Fleming interviewing for the job (he also interviewed for the Knicks position earlier this summer), but assistant Roy Rogers is also expected to meet with the front office. While both were on the failed Jim Boylen staff this past season, this news solidifies the fact that Arturas Karnisovas does not perceive either as a problem – in fact, the opposite. Previous reports have suggested that the coaching staff played a pretty hands-off role through a lot of the season as Jim Boylen dug himself a deeper hole. Both Rogers and Fleming have a respected image around NBA circles, and it’s been reported previously that Karnisovas likes this assistant coaching staff.
To be clear, I don’t think either will land the gig, but we shouldn’t mind either getting an interview (Michael: Sometimes, these sort of interview, while perfectly well earned, are also about showing respect to certain people within your organization. And, indeed, the mere achievement of securing a head coach interview elevates them for other similar jobs across the league/in the future).
Woj also reported that Chicago is speaking with Miami’s Dan Craig and have received permission to speak with Dallas’ Jamahl Mosley. We’ll have to get into both these candidates sometime tomorrow, however, we shouldn’t be surprised to see either in the conversation. Craig has technically been with the Miami Heat since 2003 when he started as a video intern. From there, he worked his way up the ranks and has been an assistant for most of the last decade. Mosley is a former player who has been in the NBA coaching world since 2005 and with the Mavericks since 2014.
Earlier this morning, I asked for some kind of update on the Bulls coaching search, and the basketball gods gave us a good one. I love to see the Bulls adding names to there list, I love to hear that all of these conversations are well underway, and I love to hear this opening is an attractive one.
The Bulls were 39-84 in a season and half under Boylen, who was recently fired. The Bulls coaching job is attractive for a solid core of young talent, including Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, guard Coby White and center Wendell Carter. The Bulls have the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
The timeline for when Karnisovas and Marc Eversley will make the announcement is still up for debate, but this latest report makes it feel at least somewhat close. Could the Bulls have a new head coach by group workouts in two weeks?