CHICAGO _ Three years and six months after the Bulls anointed him as the missing piece to a championship-ready roster, Fred Hoiberg was fired as coach Monday morning.
The Bulls promoted associate coach Jim Boylen to head coach. There's no interim in Boylen's title because he's well-regarded by management and ownership and has a chance to win the job permanently, executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson said at Monday afternoon's news conference at the Advocate Center.
"We believe Jim will be able to effect change," Paxson said. "We expect him to be our head coach moving forward. Jim has paid his dues in this league. He has a passion and energy to him that I think our players will respond to. I think Jim will bring a strong voice to our locker room."
Paxson also put to rest any questions about general manager Gar Forman's job security, saying, "Gar is absolutely safe."
Hoiberg, who compiled a 115-155 record and one playoff berth in his three-plus seasons, arrived at the team's practice facility Monday morning prepared to run the 11 a.m. practice. Paxson and Forman were there to relieve him of his duties.
"(The decision) was made most difficult because all of us in this organization like Fred Hoiberg a lot," Paxson said. "He had to deal with a lot of difficult circumstances. This decision wasn't based on our record.
"We were in a similar situation last year at this time. Poor record. But the entire energy about this group was different then. What we're lacking is an energy and spirit. It's not as simple as saying we would've got that with healthy players. You have to be able to get your identity across to your team."
Boylen, who said he talked to Hoiberg on Monday morning, said he will be "forever grateful to Fred and the opportunity he gave me." He said all of the assistant coaches will be retained and he will add G League Windy City Bulls coach Dean Cooper to the staff.
"I think I'm a more passionate in-game coach than Fred," Boylen said.
Hoiberg's first season began with championship aspirations but quickly devolved because of a divided locker room and a team on its last legs. This was best exemplified by Jimmy Butler undermining Hoiberg following a December 2015 loss at the Knicks.
"I believe in the guys in this locker room but I also believe we probably have to be coached a lot harder at times," Butler said at the time. "I'm sorry, I know Fred is a laid-back guy and I really respect him for that, but when guys aren't doing what they're supposed to do, you have to get on guys _ myself included."
The following season, management added Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade in free agency. Neither piece was best suited for Hoiberg's preferred offensive philosophy. Nevertheless, Hoiberg guided the Bulls to a 2-0 lead in a first-round playoff series over the second-seeded Celtics before Rondo fractured his thumb and the Celtics won four straight.
Last season, the first of a full rebuild following the trade of Butler to the Timberwolves, the Bulls finished 27-55 and drew widespread praise throughout the league for their competitiveness and player development. Hoiberg also adroitly managed the preseason altercation when Bobby Portis drew an eight-game suspension for punching Nikola Mirotic and breaking two bones in Mirotic's face. Mirotic missed 23 games and both players played well until Mirotic's trade to the Pelicans in January.
This season, Hoiberg has had Portis for only four games, Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen for one each and Denzel Valentine for zero. While Hoiberg knew he was under the microscope, he fully expected to at least get some time coaching a relatively healthy roster before management acted.
Hoiberg still wants to coach, preferably at the NBA level, a source said. His five-year, $25 million contract that runs through next season is fully guaranteed, sources said, which means he'll be paid fully until he lands another job.
If Boylen doesn't win the job permanently, this will be the fifth coaching hire of this managerial regime. Paxson and Forman have hired Bill Cartwright, Scott Skiles, Vinny Del Negro, Tom Thibodeau and Hoiberg.
Coincidentally, another Jim Boylan _ different spelling _ landed the interim head coaching job when Paxson fired Skiles. Boylan and Boylen once worked together at Michigan State.
