At the moment, one of the high-profile coaching researches ranks with another of the big historic franchises on the market in the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks. At the start of the 2019-20 regular season, the Knicks split up with ex-coach David Fizdale after starting with a 4-18 record. It looks like a situation quite similar to what the Chicago Bulls went through just one season before.
And the current search for Knicks’ head coach could suck some current and former Bulls staff. According to a report by SNY’s Ian Begley, the Knicks are planning to speak to “at least 8-10 coaches during a head coaching quest that is likely to extend to the next month.” Two of those coaches are currently on the coach Bulls staff or have been in the past five years.
The current Bulls staff member who is in the midst of Knicks’ research is former Brooklyn Nets assistant coach Chris Fleming. As best offensive assistant under current Bulls head coach Jim Boylen, Fleming could be an eye-catching candidate. But he’s also one that the Bulls should do everything they can to keep him on Windy City staff as far as possible.
Additionally, the other Knicks research candidate who has ties to the Bulls is former head coach Tom Thibodeau. Former bull and Minnesota coach Timberwolves is not currently doing coaching work in the NBA. But he’s a possible candidate for a series of coach openings across the league entering the low season.
The Knicks also seem to seriously consider a potential candidate if the Bulls were to open their own coaching quest. Philadelphia 76ers main assistant, Ime Udoka, is one of the candidates considered for the opening of the Knicks, as he could be with the Bulls if there was an opening later in the offseason.
If the Bulls also ended up looking for head coaching in the near future, then it could take a path similar to that of the Knicks. They have some solid candidates on the list, notably with the likes of Udoka and former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson.