Bulls to take patient approach with coach Boylen

Chicago, June 7: The Chicago Bulls will not make a decision anytime soon about head coach Jim Boylen's future with the franchise.

Arturas Karnisovas, the Bulls' new executive vice president of basketball operations, began Saturday's conference call with reporters by issuing a statement on the divisive coach.

"I know that you are anxious for me to comment definitively on our future of the Chicago Bulls. I understand that anticipation," Karnisovas said.

"That said, I take pride in being deliberate and thoughtful in my decision-making and take the weight of my decisions seriously.

"I'm not inclined to make evaluations prematurely to satisfy our excitement to move this team forward."

Karnisovas was hired in April – more than a month after the NBA season was paused due to the coronavirus outbreak – and he has yet to see his team play since joining Chicago.

One reason for the patient approach, he said, was the NBA's 22-team plan for concluding the season, which excludes the Bulls.

"We want to spend time internally to assure that we are thorough in our appraisals," Karnisovas said.

"Our intention was to return to play at some point and have the opportunity to make informed decisions. There are several unprecedented circumstances beyond our control.

"We have been limited in certain obvious ways, so our objective is to use this time in innovative ways to create opportunities for our players and coaches to encourage development."

Our season is over but the work for Arturas Karnisovas is only beginning.

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) June 6, 2020

Boylen took over as head coach 24 games into the 2018-19 season after the dismissal of Fred Hoiberg, but the Bulls are just 39-84 under Boylen.

Chicago finished this season 22-43 – 11th in the Eastern Conference – and ranked 26th in the NBA in scoring at 106.8 points per game.

"Coaching in the league is very difficult. To make a decision about coaching is really hard. It's probably the hardest thing for executives," Karnisovas said.

"So I look at a lot of aspects – I've had numerous conversations.

"That said, I'd like to be in a building, to be in practices, to be around the coaching staff in meetings. We're looking forward to getting in the video room together, analyse the games, to watch games together."

Karnisovas, previously the general manager of the Denver Nuggets, has already replaced Chicago's former top executives Gar Forman and John Paxson.

Marc Eversley will take over as the team's new general manager, while assistant general manager J.J. Polk and vice president of player personnel Pat Connelly were also added this offseason.