According to NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson, the Chicago Bulls will be in the market for a new Director of Performance Health.
Chip Schaefer and the Chicago Bulls have reportedly parted ways after a disappointing season that ended in a second-straight Play-In Tournament exit. Bulls fans know Schaefer well, as he served as the head athletic trainer during Chicago’s iconic 90s run. Once that came to a close, he ended up part of the Los Angeles Lakers for a handful of years before taking a job with the Sacramento Kings. Schaefer rejoined the Bulls organization in 2016 in his current role.
Johnson reports that head athletic trainer Todd Campbell will serve as interim while the Chicago Bulls continue to evaluate the position.
We can’t deny that Schaefer is a well-respected and well-established athletic trainer. I also think it would be extremely unfair for us to place the blame for the Bulls’ recent injury trouble fully on his shoulders. At the same time, this has been one of the most banged-up franchises in the league over the past handful of years. You have to try to change something, right?
The Bulls lost both Zach LaVine and Patrick Williams to season-ending foot injuries this year. Both players were initially expected to return but eventually saw their seasons end. We also saw Julian Phillips fail to finish out the year due to his own foot problems – although, he was never officially ruled out for the season. We also can’t forget the ongoing Lonzo Ball situation, as well as the multiple knee injuries that have popped up for Zach LaVine in the past.
The Chicago Bulls have just been riddled with bad injury luck, and I guess this is their way of hoping that changes. Schaefer now joins a couple of assistant coaches on Billy Donovan’s staff as the offseason’s main departures. We’ll see if the list keeps growing.