Chicago Bulls name Jim Boylan Interim Coach Chicago Bulls general manager John Paxson named Jim Boylan interim coach for the remainder of the season on Thursday. Then the team announced a lineup change. "After sitting down with Jim yesterday and discussing our team I feel comfortable giving him the interim head coaching position. Jim has paid his dues as an assistant coach and has his own ideas on the way he wants us to play," Paxson said in a statement. "Many top assistants never get the chance to be a head coach in the NBA and Jim has assured me he will provide the necessary energy and commitment this position requires. Ron Adams, Pete Myers and Mike Wilhelm will continue to play integral roles on the staff and will give great support to Jim and our team." Later, the team said that Chris Duhon would be starting, with Ben Gordon moving to sixth man. Boylan interviewed for the Pacers' head coaching position last summer, earning a second interview before losing out to Jim O'Brien. As Skiles' lead assistant and longtime friend, Boylan may have to fight a perception with players that he is merely an offshoot of Skiles. Boylan, 52, was hired by Skiles' recommendation on May 19, 2004. But Boylan is a creative coach who has head coaching experience at the University of New Hampshire and overseas. He is a 14-year NBA veteran, having also assisted Mike Fratello in Cleveland, Brian Hill in Vancouver, Skiles in Phoenix, and Terry Stotts in Atlanta.
Wait; I thought a strong, disciplinarian coach was required in "today's NBA"? Also, I'm pretty sure that's not the same Jim Boylen who was an assistant for the Rockets.
It isn't enough just to be a disciplinarian. Competence, the ability to communicate, motivate and earn the respect of "today's" NBA players is also required. The Bulls players just wanted Skiles gone. When things get to that point, you can either fire the coach or watch your season go down in flames. Skiles' competence isn't his problem. He knows what he's doing. But the same thing that sunk his boat in Phoenix took him down in Chicago: Very poor relationship skills. Jim Boylen and Jim Boylan are not the same person.
Two straight wins in the Jim Boylan era...however, I doubt that Boylan will last past this season unless he makes a splash in the playoffs. The Bulls are a better team than their record showed. I think that with what Skiles had done in the last couple of years, he deserved more time to turn this thing around. But perhaps there is something going on behind the scenes and Chicago was already eyeing someone who they thought would take them to the next level.
