New Head Coach Mega Thread

[kodo]

AK knows who is guy is. Just like he did w Evs.

He’s just doing due diligence to see if anyone surprises him. He’s also learning a lot about what these guys would do with our team etc. Hes playing it smart.

I expect Udoka or Unseld due to relationship.

Which also could make Fleming as a dark horse candidate.

That would basically be retaining the worst part of our coaching this season (the offense) and getting rid of the part that actually worked somewhat, the defense. I was assuming Fleming was only on the list as a courtesy since he's part of the Bulls staff.

[Truebiscuit]

AK knows who is guy is. Just like he did w Evs.

He’s just doing due diligence to see if anyone surprises him. He’s also learning a lot about what these guys would do with our team etc. Hes playing it smart.

I expect Udoka or Unseld due to relationship.

Which also could make Fleming as a dark horse candidate.

That would basically be retaining the worst part of our coaching this season (the offense) and getting rid of the part that actually worked somewhat, the defense. I was assuming Fleming was only on the list as a courtesy since he's part of the Bulls staff.

Fleming's hands were tied by Boylen and the analytics dept. He actively distanced himself from the offense once he realized Boylen wouldn't let him implement what he wanted.

Don't sleep on him...

[Chi town]

Will be interesting to see if Fleming stays to lead the offense. He’s close to AK.

I could see a defensive coach like Udoka or Unseld with Fleming staying.

[The Explorer]

Read on Twitter

Jamahl Mosley and Dan Craig join the pool of candidates. Don't know anything about them, but they come from good programs.

[FriedRise]

Man, this is so awesome. Just shows you how incompetent GarPax were!!

[League Circles]

Any experienced candidates other than Atkinson confirmed yet? If not that's disappointing to me.

[FriedRise]

Any experienced candidates other than Atkinson confirmed yet? If not that's disappointing to me.

From Darnell's article, the lack of experienced candidates might be by design:

Just as significant is the vastly different stage the Bulls are in compared to their competition for a new head coach. The Nets could morph into a championship contender with a healthy Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving next season. The Sixers presumably want to remain in win-now mode before kicking the can on Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. The Pelicans have a ready-made superstar in Zion Williamson and a first-time All-Star and this season’s Most Improved Player in Brandon Ingram. The Pacers are a strong playoff team in need of a coach who can get them over the hump. Those teams require experienced coaches.

Chicago is coming off a 22-43 win season — which followed a 22-60 season in 2018-19 — and doesn’t field an All-Star. While still a desirable job given the team’s collection of young talent, the Bulls’ vacancy ranks fifth among teams with head coaching openings if top-end talent and winning now comprise the criteria.

But maybe it’s for the best that the Bulls’ wish list includes only one former NBA head coach. Rather than a retread, maybe the Bulls will pluck the next Brad Stevens or Nick Nurse.

Craig and Mosley could fit the description. There’s a reason they crept their way into this crowded conversation.

[dougthonus]

It starts at the top though. If your HC is not aligned with the FO vision of developing players then no matter how good he is and how good the assistant coaches are at player development, it will never work.

I don't think there's any coach who takes over a young team and says "I don't care about player development", I mean its kind of a given that a minimum you need to encourage development and do that skills work, but the actual talent of helping a guy improve is going to be more necessary in your assistants.

[cjbulls]

It starts at the top though. If your HC is not aligned with the FO vision of developing players then no matter how good he is and how good the assistant coaches are at player development, it will never work.

I don't think there's any coach who takes over a young team and says "I don't care about player development", I mean its kind of a given that a minimum you need to encourage development and do that skills work, but the actual talent of helping a guy improve is going to be more necessary in your assistants.

I don’t know. The head coach can still have a big impact on development through minutes and roles. Take Coby for example. The Bulls appeared to deliberately give Coby a green light to shoot at will. They may have improved his confidence/ability to score in the nba, but may have hurt his shot selection process and ability to convert into a PG long-term. Time will tell, plus the e w coach will hopefully have some influence to make Coby a more complete player.

[dougthonus]

I don’t know. The head coach can still have a big impact on development through minutes and roles. Take Coby for example. The Bulls appeared to deliberately give Coby a green light to shoot at will. They may have improved his confidence/ability to score in the nba, but may have hurt his shot selection process and ability to convert into a PG long-term. Time will tell, plus the e w coach will hopefully have some influence to make Coby a more complete player.

Sure, but again, those are fringe things around player development, not the core work.

[Red8911]

Any experienced candidates other than Atkinson confirmed yet? If not that's disappointing to me.

Yeah I don’t get why not. It’s either Atkinson is the guy they want and don’t want to interview any other experienced coach or they will go with a rookie head coach since almost all of them on this list are currently assistant coaches. It’s one or the other. Disappointed that Joerger isn’t part of the list though.

[League Circles]

Jay Wright from Villanova?

I literally know nothing about him but thought of him by looking up Team USA be coaches - he's the only one not a current NBA HC.

[Jvaughn]

Jay Wright from Villanova?

I literally know nothing about him but thought of him by looking up Team USA be coaches - he's the only one not a current NBA HC.

I honestly can't see him leaving the college level. He already makes NBA head coach salary, and has full control over his program. Great coach, who's shown he can do the most without too tier recruits, but he's probably best suited for the college game.

[MrFortune3]

It starts at the top though. If your HC is not aligned with the FO vision of developing players then no matter how good he is and how good the assistant coaches are at player development, it will never work.

I don't think there's any coach who takes over a young team and says "I don't care about player development", I mean its kind of a given that a minimum you need to encourage development and do that skills work, but the actual talent of helping a guy improve is going to be more necessary in your assistants.

It depends upon the coach. Some guys take over a young team, ask for vet signings and then push player development to the side to help bolster their win portfolio.

That's one of the reasons I want no part of Joerger. Clashes with the FO, usually over player development and not playing young guys enough vs vets.

Look at Atkinson for instance. Dinwiddie credits his development to him. Putting the emphasis on developing guys and crafting roles for them

[Charlesareed]

They should just sign Kenny Akinson and call it a day

[Leslie Forman]

Jay Wright from Villanova?

I literally know nothing about him but thought of him by looking up Team USA be coaches - he's the only one not a current NBA HC.

I honestly can't see him leaving the college level. He already makes NBA head coach salary, and has full control over his program. Great coach, who's shown he can do the most without too tier recruits, but he's probably best suited for the college game.

I don't know why it would even be worth the risk to an NBA team. I can't think of a single college coach besides Stevens who came directly from college in the last…forever…and actually panned out. And Stevens was basically like the LeBron/Zion/Shaq combined of coaching prospects. No college coach ever looked that impressive, that quickly.

You're far more likely to, well, get another Tim Floyd or Fred Hoiberg. So you've just spent more money than you would've on a Thibs or Atkinson or McMillan…and you're probably getting a complete dud.

[Repeat 3-peat]

I'm just happy to see a coaching search with many candidates(that aren't known) being interviewed.

[Chewie]

They should just sign Kenny Akinson and call it a day

Yeah, what's with all this vetting process nonsense?

GarPax burner account radar is tingling....

[sonny]

76ers had a bad year considering their expectations. After amassing all those high picks and tanking, they've managed to turn their roster into something that's nothing special. Clearly, they've had bad coaching too. It's hard to be excited that the Bulls got a GM and now maybe a head coach from that organization.

More proof that tanking and rebuilding doesn’t guarantee a championship team. Bulls are so dumb for following that route and fans actually believing that is the only way.

Read on Twitter

Tanking and rebuilding wasn't the problem, the league forcing the guy behind the plan and pushing the team to hire Colangelo, who traded the #3 and a future 1st to take Fultz, him getting fired for being an ass, then Brand trading assets for Jimmy, then trading him for Josh Richardson, then giving Harris and Horford deals starting at $60M total is what hurt the team.

Watch on YouTube

Here is the segment of the Jimmy Butler interview with JJ Redick that people keep mentioning when questioning support for Brett Brown. Seems like there's plenty of better choices, new and experienced, than hiring Brown.

McMillan is interesting but a lot of questions about his offensive strategies or lack of them. I plan to trust AK until given a reason not to.

Yes, Jimmy, you are hard to work with. Every single team you have been on has not wanted you back. Let's see what happens with Miami.

And every single team that has traded him has been worse off. Minny fired its coach/GM and failed to make the playoffs the two years after Jimmy led them there for the first time in 13 years. Bulls fired two coaches and got rid of management. Sixers just fired its coach.

The three teams he's been traded from are watching him in the playoffs.

The Sixers franchise player is tweeting cryptic messages hinting that he wants to play with Jimmy.

[tweet]

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[tweet]

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One of the guys the Bulls got for Jimmy was singing his praises last night.

Read on Twitter

[Jvaughn]

I haven't seen much about Sam Cassell. I wonder if he's being brought in as well. Do we have a list of probable candidates yet? I may have missed it.