The Chicago Bulls were granted permission to speak with several assistants for the franchise’s head coaching job and interviews with candidates are well underway, sources told ESPN.
No permission was necessary for former Brooklyn Nets coach Kenny Atkinson to interview, but new executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley are talking to several assistant coaches still involved in the playoffs, including Milwaukee’s Darvin Ham, Denver’s Wes Unseld Jr. and Miami’s Dan Craig, sources said.
Among the assistant coaches granted permission to talk to Chicago from eliminated teams, sources said: Dallas Mavericks assistants Jamahl Mosley and Stephen Silas, Philadelphia’s Ime Udoka and one candidate — Minnesota associate head coach David Vanterpool — whose team didn’t qualify for the restart, sources said.
The Bulls are also interviewing current assistant Chris Fleming and could also meet with assistant Roy Rogers — both remaining from former coach Jim Boylen’s staff, sources said.
The Bulls were 39-84 in a season and half under Boylen, who was recently fired. The Bulls’ coaching job is attractive for a solid core of young talent, including Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, guard Coby White and center Wendell Carter. The Bulls have the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft.