Jim Boylen has done his best to remain off the grid throughout all of the news concerning the front office restructure the last week.
No interviews, no discussions with the media.
That means the Bulls coach has simply been going about the business of watching film, and preparing as if the NBA will return to the court at some point in the wake of the coronavirus shutdown.
And what he’s not dwelling on? His job security.
According to a source close to the situation, Boylen has let it be known to members of his staff that he will accept any fate coming his way from his new front office and ownership, but fully expects that he will return to the head coaching seat next season.
His one concern, according to the source, is with Arturas Karnisovas now calling the shots, Boylen was at least hoping for a chance to sit down with his new bosses and discuss his year-and-a-half on the job before they make a final decision.
Whether Boylen will get that opportunity is obviously yet to be decided, but even his biggest supporters — Jerry and Michael Reinsdorf — won’t be throwing a life preserver his way if Karnisovas wants to go in a different direction.
The arguments Boylen has in his favor is he did almost exactly what the organization asked of him this season, establishing an identity on the defensive side of the ball, changing the offensive shot profile of his players, and developing young players like Coby White and Daniel Gafford. Also, Zach LaVine, one of the faces of the franchise, did have a career year.
Michael Reinsdorf has publicly supported Boylen throughout, and he still does have two years on his contract — although it’s a team-friendly deal if the Bulls do want to move away from the coach.
What Boylen has working against him?
He did rub several players the wrong way, former first-round pick Lauri Markkanen has gone completely backwards, and more importantly, as hard as Boylen tries, he can’t run away from a 39-84 (.317) record since taking over last Dec. 3.
Has he had to deal with a massive amount of key injuries? Absolutely. Markkanen has been in and out of the training room since the Bulls drafted him, and Otto Porter Jr. — the highest-paid player on the roster — has played in just 29 games since being acquired from Washington last February.
Boylen’s also been trying to deal with a faulty roster build.
But at the end of the day, coaching is a pass-fail business, and this is the same Bulls organization that came down on former coach Tom Thibodeau for underachieving in their minds, and Thibodeau finished his stint with the Bulls 255-139 (.647) despite also dealing with frequent injuries.
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