Boylan Fired

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Apr 17, 2008 3:30PM

That didn't take long...

Less than 12 hours after the Bulls beat the Toronto Raptors to close out their 33-49 season, GM John Paxson fired interim coach Jim Boylan this morning.

Taking over the team when Scott Skiles was fired on Christmas Eve, Boylan's Bulls went 24-32, missing the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. More important in determining Boylan's demise was his utter inability to keep his players in line and focused on team goals over individual interests.

With Boylan out of the picture, speculation about who will succeed him on the Bulls' bench is already rampant. High profile coaches like Rick Carlisle and Larry Brown are at the top of any list mentioning possible replacements, but the Bulls may also look at assistant coaches ready to move up to the next level, like Celtics' associate head coach Tom Thibodeau.

Now will Paxson hire a coach first and then tailor the roster to suit his style, or will Pax do his wheeling and dealing first and then hire a coach that'll get the most out of his players?

AP Photo/J. Pat Carter