It's shocking to me that the Bulls and Doug Collins haven't gotten together yet. It's as though owner Jerry Reinsdorf bought Collins a drink, chatted him up, then got his phone number, and then puts in a few calls without asking him on a date. It's a good thing there aren't many other suitors, otherwise Doug would have moved on by now.
The Bulls are interviewing every candidate under the sun it seems. At this point their focus has been on successful assistant coaches. This is probably because they're looking to hire one of them with the understanding that they'll eventually succeed Collins as head coach. While this is a solid idea, it does keep the Chicago Bulls focused on coaches and not on what to do with their number one pick in the upcoming NBA draft. That's a decision that the Bulls cannot afford to misfire on, as it could haunt them for years.
As much as I'd like the hiring process to wrap up, I have my doubts about Collins. He's never coached on any NBA team longer than three years. That seems a dubious distinction. His age is a factor as well. I don't think I see him coaching over three years at this stop either when it's all said and done. If that's the case, there won't be any championship during his stint. This setup is designed to push the team into contention under Collins' watch, but then to have the by-then groomed assistant take the reins and ride the team to the title. Why do the Bulls need a middle man? Why not put a coach in that will take your team to a championship?
I've had other ideas about whom the Bulls should be hiring. Avery Johnson was always the candidate of choice to me. He's a winner, plain and simple. He's young, so he's in the job for the long haul. He's defensive minded, which would seem to gel completely with GM John Paxson's philosophies on the game. However, after Scott Skiles, I imagine Paxson wasn't too keen on Avery's disciplinarian approach. If that's the case though, why go after Collins? He's as stressing a coach as there is in the league. He'll push this team much in the same way Skiles did. I keep hearing he's a great "teacher of the game," but the complete failure that was Kwame Brown may speak otherwise. He's a pretty solid analyst, but how does that translate into coaching? Not well. I'd take Avery over Doug. However, Avery's not my only preference.
Flip Saunders is recently available out of Detroit. I should think the Bulls have to take a serious look at acquiring his services. Leading your team to the conference finals three straight seasons is nothing to laugh at in today's game. I don't blame him for his team's lackluster performances. They only ever really listened to Larry Brown, and only for a season at that. Rasheed Wallace is a coach-killer. He has a rediculous amount of talent, but he's a headcase. He can be the best player on the floor if he hasn't decided to take a quarter or two off. Flip did the best he possibly could with a team that barely listened. Chicago's roster is full of younger players who can still learn and believe their coach knows best. That could only help Flip. Unfortunately, I doubt the Bulls will make any serious indications towards his camp. They're busy talking to Kings assistant Chuck Person.
Though I may appreciate the Bulls' caution regarding this important decision, can they just hire a coach already?
Keywords: Avery Johnson, Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Doug Collins, Flip Saunders, NBA
