Details Of How The Bulls Came To Promote Jim Boylen Are Cringeworthy

The Chicago Bulls are dragging their feet on Jim Boylen. The longer this goes without an official decision, the more irritated fans become. What exactly is new VP Arturas Karnisovas waiting for? He's undoubtedly viewed the film. He talked to players and assistants. Now he's had a chance to meet the man himself. What exactly is there left to complete? It would be one thing if the Bulls came out and said they're keeping the head coach for another season. Yet they won't even do that much.

The silence is utterly baffling.

Then again one shouldn't expect smooth operation at the top with this team. Not when the Reinsdorfs are involved. Word has persisted for months that they've basically been talking out of both sides of their mouths. They insist Karnisovas has the authority to make a change but that they're also big fans of Boylen. This puts the man in an awkward position.

It gets better though.

Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic has covered the situation closely. Details have started to come out about who exactly is leading the push to keep Boylen in place. Not to mention how he's viewed from the top.

Boylen has long touted unwavering support he’s received from ownership, and many in and around the organization view Michael Reinsdorf as Boylen’s true saving grace, a believer in the coach’s vision, dedication, energy, passion and willingness to work in unison with all departments. Former executive VP of basketball operations John Paxson, Karnisovas’ predecessor who has moved into the shadows as a senior advisor of basketball operations, also holds Boylen in high regard. But the coach has been empowered by the chairman as well.

“Jerry Reinsdorf asked me to be the CEO,” Boylen told The Athletic in October. “He never said ‘coach’ to me one time. (It was) ‘Hire the right people. Get them organized. Set the course. Maintain the course. Correct the course.’ That’s what he asked me to do. I’m here to lead. The great head coaches are leaders.”

Jim Boylen is genuinely viewed as a competent coach

It gets better. Belief among the owners and Paxson is that Boylen is competant. He knows what he's doing despite the significant evidence to the contrary. Part of why this is? They believe he was given too many responsibilities this season.

As his tenure wore on last season, Boylen wielded more and more authority, focusing his attention on relatively trivial matters ranging from how the media relations staff operated to game night meetings with season ticket holders shortly before tip-off.

With the organization being expanded, those responsibilities will no longer be required. He'd be able to focus solely on coaching. That should surely yield better results, right? Given the iffy relationships he has with his players and the many bad game management decisions, that is up for serious debate.

Maybe Karnisovas will still end up making a change. Yet that is feeling less and less likely every day.