Odds to Be Bulls Next Head Coach After Boylen Fired – Kenny Atkinson Favored
By Robert Duff in NBA Basketball
Updated: March 8, 2021 at 2:25 pm ESTPublished:
- Sportsbooks are listing ex-Brooklyn Nets coach Kenny Atkinson as +200 favorite to succeed Jim Boylen as coach of the Chicago Bulls
- Boylen was fired on FridayÂ
- Analysis of the list contenders, predictions and potential value bets follow in the story below
ESPN won’t be making a 10-part documentary about the Jim Boylen era with the Chicago Bulls. It turned out to be even less productive than the Jim Boylan era in Chicago.
Boylen was fired as coach of the Bulls on Friday. During his year-plus at the helm, the Bulls were an awful 39-84, a .317 winning percentage. By comparison, namesake Jim Boylan, who was 24-32 (.428) during the portion of the 2007-08 NBA season that he handled the Bulls’ bench was a veritable success story.
Assuming they’ve run out of Jim Boylens or Jim Boylans to run out there, the question remains, who will be the next coach of the Bulls? Not surprisingly, there’s already odds out for this betting market.
Kenny Atkinson is listed as the +200 favorite to be next in line to try to fix the Bulls. Chicago has endured four straight losing seasons.
Odds On Chicago Bulls Coach For 2020-21 NBA Season
| Coach | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kenny Atkinson | +200 |
| Wes Unseld Jr | +400 |
| Adrian Griffin | +450 |
| Darvin Ham | +550 |
| Dave Joerger | 650 |
| Ime Udoka | +700 |
| Stephen Silas | +750 |
| Becky Hammon | +1400 |
Odds as of Aug. 16th.
The Bulls show one playoff apperance over the past five years and it’s been six seasons since Chicago won a postseason series.
The next Bulls coach will be the 12th since Phil Jackson left Chicago in 1998.
Atkinson Seems A Good Fit
Atkinson is given credit for providing the Nets with an identity. He also helped establish the right culture within the framework of the organization.
There still seems to be puzzlement within NBA circles as to why Atkinson tendered his resignation in March, about a week prior to the COVID-19-caused pause to the season. In 2018-19, Atkinson guided the Nets to a 42-40 mark, their first winning season since 2013-14. He also produced their first playoff appearance since 2014-15.
The Bulls have started to target their next head coach, sources tell @ShamsCharania. 🎯
Who do you think should be at the helm in Chicago? 👇 pic.twitter.com/drkhNmB6Kt
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) August 14, 2020
The view of Atkinson is that he’s a players’ coach. He was quite popular with Nets players.
It seems as though he’d be the perfect follow to stern taskmaster Boylen. He actually installed a time clock for the Bulls players to punch in when they arrived and punch out when they headed home, as if they were working in a factory.
Griffin Could Be Toxic
Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse offered the skill set of assistant coach Adrian Griffin some exposure by allowing him to coach a game in the NBA bubble. Griffin led the Raptors to a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
A day later, though, he got the kind of exposure than can kill a career. His ex-wife Audrey Griffin took to social media to post serious allegations of abuse by her former husband.
Statement from the Raptors and Adrian Griffin on the accusations against him: pic.twitter.com/uBPTtlUQio
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) August 13, 2020
Griffin flatly denied the allegations. The Raptors were quick to offer their support for Griffin. None of the accusations against Griffin have been proven in a court of law.
At the same time, the Bulls are already a hot mess. Are they really going to want to risk the potential of bringing more baggage aboard?
Chicago Bullish On Udoka
Marc Eversley, the new GM of the Bulls, spent time working with 76ers assistant Ime Udoka when both were in Philly. However, the word is that Udoka has been on Chicago’s radar for quite some time.
As reported months ago in the Sun-Times, 76ers assistant Ime Udoka has been the long-rumored top target for the Bulls. There will be a process – this isn't a Gar-Hoiberg situation – but he remains atop the board.
— Joe Cowley (@JCowleyHoops) August 14, 2020
He worked for seven seasons at the side of San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich, learning from the master. That included two NBA Finals. As well, Udoka twice coached the Spurs’ NBA Summer League team.
Pick: Ime Udoka (+700).
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
