NEW YORK – Jim Boylen knows there will be a time when the organization will have to attach the white flag of development to the pole and start playing guys for next season.
Following the 110-107 loss to Brooklyn on Sunday, it might be time to start the hoisting.
Even with most of their frontline back from injury and getting extended minutes, the Bulls continued finding new ways to lose, as a potential game-tying three-pointer from rookie Coby White danced in and out of the basket with 9.1 seconds left, allowing the Nets to escape with a few free throws and hold on for the win.
Considering the Bulls were down 10 to the home team with just 2:39 left, it squashed what would have been quite the comeback.
Instead, it was another cruel dose of reality for a team going nowhere at 21-43, now having to look in the mirror on what the final 18 games of the regular season should be about.
“I’ll do that kind of hand-in-hand, in step with [vice president of basketball operations] John [Paxson],’’ Boylen said. “We’ll kind of sit down, and we’ve talked about winning and developing, and there may be a moment where we turn into pure development mode. That’s what you do. To me if that’s what is best for the franchise, that’s what helps us to continue to grow and get better, I’m sure we’ll do that.
“We’ll discuss it probably this week, probably [Monday], and go from there.’’
A far cry from the talk to come out of the Advocate Center back on media day, when the front office doubled down on the top goal for this season being a return to the playoffs in Year 3 of the rebuild.
“Right now we’re just seeing what happens,’’ White said after the latest loss. “If [development is] the road that we take, that’s the road that we take. We just got to finish strong.’’
White, who finished with 21 points on 8-for-21 from the field, was hoping playing hero would let them finish strong, and admitted that when he let the 30-foot pull-up go from straight on, he thought overtime would be just around the corner.
“Yeah, I thought everybody in the building thought it was going in,’’ White said. “It went in and out, halfway in and out, you know. If it would have gone in it would have been great. It didn’t, so …’’
Just another almost moment for the Bulls.
“We know one thing about everyone that plays in this organization and any other head coach that questions us, is how hard we play,’’ White said. “Every night we play hard. One through however many play, we play hard. Everything we went through over the course of the game and we still had a chance to win.’’
Meanwhile, Jacque Vaughn, who made his debut as Nets coach against the Bulls after Kenny Atkinson was pushed out a day earlier, said he was just glad to have a game so quickly after all the turmoil the previous few days.
“Just glad for the guys that were able to get back on the floor,’’ Vaughn said. “Get back to what they enjoy doing, love doing.’’
What the Bulls haven’t loved doing? Apparently winning, now having dropped three straight and just 2-13 in their last 15 games.
That’s why Tuesday could bring the likes of a Wendell Carter Jr. playing some extended minutes at the four or a White finally starting.
“If I start, I start. If I don’t, I don’t,’’ White said. “I’m just going to keep going out there and playing hard. Keep doing what I’m doing. Stay focused and keep grinding.’’
