What he wants from his next head coach is simple.
Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has been very transparent with that.
“In terms of what we’re going to be looking for is we’re going to continue focusing on player development, and an emphasis on player development,’’ Karnisovas said, in the wake of Jim Boylen’s firing less than two weeks ago. “Someone who puts the relationship with players first, and is a good communicator. There are a lot of factors going on in terms of criteria that we’re looking at in a coach, but again those are the main ones.’’
Who that person is? That’s where it remains very cloudy.
Do they go first-time head coach, roll the dice from the college ranks, or look at someone who has a more established head coaching resume at the NBA level?
The Sun-Times wrote months ago that Philadelphia assistant coach Ime Udoka was said to be the early leader in the clubhouse, according to several NBA scouts, and there have been no indications that Udoka’s high standing has changed as of yet, especially with official interviews still being scheduled.
Regardless of who it is, however, the player development and communication aspects of the job better be a strength of his, especially with all that’s at stake with this current rebuild. And that first life preserver being thrown out better be in the direction of forward Lauri Markkanen.
No played needed a change of front office and of the head coach like Markkanen.
Forget the stats last season for the 7-footer. Everyone would like to. But the real concern was Markkanen ended the season privately making it known that he was not loving the direction of the entire organization, and wanted to be elsewhere if change wasn’t coming.
The good news is change did come, and it was sweeping.
Gone are former general manager Gar Forman and Boylen. Now, it’s about making sure this new coach can reach Markkanen, and get him back on the path he was headed in February 2019, when he looked like an All-Star headed for “unicorn’’ status in the NBA elite.
“He was disappointed by the overall result,’’ Karnisovas said of Markkanen earlier this offseason. “Every player wants to win. He’s about winning, as well.
“Our objective is to get the best version of Lauri next year. We agreed in conversations that this is our objective, and we’re going to try to do it.’’
But not the only Bulls player a new coach will have to fix when that whistle is finally placed in his hand.
Denzel Valentine — No player had bigger issues with Boylen than the former 2016 lottery pick (14th overall). The two had Michigan State ties, but that’s where it ended.
Boylen saw Valentine as a “system player,’’ while Valentine saw Boylen as temporary.
What can’t be denied is that the guard/forward is one of the more consistent three-point shooters on the roster, and can score in bunches when he is healthy and not residing in the doghouse.
A restricted free-agent-to-be, Valentine could receive a one-year qualifying offer for $4.7 million or be allowed to have a market price set on him by the league, leaving the Bulls to decide if they want to keep him.
If he does stay, however, a new coaching voice can be exactly what resurrects his career.
Wendell Carter Jr. — The second-year big man didn’t love how he was being used in Boylen’s offense, and also didn’t love the idea of being a center in a power forward’s body for the rest of his career.
The latter might not change for Carter anytime soon, even with a new coach, but getting touches instead of being used as a “garbage man’’ will be welcomed with open arms by the former Duke standout.
Year 3 for Carter isn’t make or break, but it is time for some clarity on his ceiling for a new coach to identify.
