Namely, one who creates more harmony and less discord with his players.
"We’re looking for many factors that we’re going to decide internally on the criteria," executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas said. "But obviously, attention to players and player care is our No. 1 priority."
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Boylen's care for his players across two seasons wasn't much questioned by close observers. At one point amid the disappointment of the team's win-loss record, he mentioned that a goal of his was to help players reach a level in which they could remain in the NBA for 10 years -- whether that be with the Bulls or another team. In Boylen's mind, if a player achieved that threshold, he would set not just himself up well for life but also his kids and future generations of his family.
What came under scrutiny were Boylen's methods. In the minds of some in the organization, he was too often confrontational. And when he didn't utilize such a direct approach, some interpreted it as him acquiescing in ways to help keep his job and power.
While strained coach-player relationships don't excuse poor on-court play, Boylen's methods created an environment in which players seemed too often detached from their role, their desires and the chemistry needed to field a strong team. It was reflected in too-often lackadaisical play as the Bulls went 22-43 this past season and 39-84 with Boylen leading them.
Now, the Bulls seek a players-first coach with a strong background in development. From his days in Denver, Karnisovas understands identifying strong talent in the NBA Draft is only half the battle. Just as important is how those players progress, and that's on his mind.
"In terms of what we’re going to be looking for, we’re going to continue focusing on player development and an emphasis on player development, someone who puts relationships with players first and is a good communicator," Karnisovas said. "There are a lot of factors going on in terms of criteria that we’re looking for in a coach, but again, those are the main ones. We will start the search immediately."
Already, a handful of candidates have emerged. Former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson, Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld Jr., Bucks assistant Darvin Ham and Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin are expected to be candidates, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported. Griffin's potential candidacy has a serious concern with it, as he was accused Thursday of domestic abuse by his ex-wife. Griffin "vehemently" denied the claims.
76ers assistant Ime Udoka is expected to be a candidate as well, according to multiple reports. All five of those candidates fit the mold of coaches with strong player development backgrounds, and most work for teams that have achieved great success in recent seasons.
For his part, Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley are in no rush in the coaching search. The odd NBA calendar amid the pandemic has put time as on their side. Most candidates are still coaching with their teams in the NBA bubble, where the first round of the playoffs start Monday. December is the intended start date for the 2020-'21 regular season, but that's subject to being pushed back -- especially if developments occur on the health front that would allow some fans to return to the stands.
Asked why is made sense timing-wise to fire Boylen on Friday, Karnisovas responded that it marked the official last day of the regular season, as seeding games are concluding in Orlando. The NBA Draft lottery awaits next Thursday, with the Bulls in line to get the No. 7 pick but holding a 7.5% chance to land the No. 1 select and a 32% chance to move into the top four.
For the Bulls and the other seven teams left out of the restart in Orlando, in-market workouts in mid-September will likely be held, ESPN reported. So Karnisovas will dive head-first into the work of finding a new leader for the locker room, perhaps with mid-September as a preferred timeline of sorts.
"There’s no specific number," Karnisovas said of how many candidates he'll look at. "There’s no deadlines. We’re going to compile the list of candidates, and we’re going to start the interview process."