Marc

Eversley

The Bulls, who fell to 29-49 with a loss to the Suns on Sunday, have reached the playoffs once in the last ten seasons. Between the disappointing on-court results and the front office’s decisions, ownership has decided to move on from Karnisovas and Eversley. The question is how these changes affect the future of head coach Billy Donovan, who was believed to be a candidate for the North Carolina head coaching job. The Tar Heels have reportedly hired former Nuggets head coach Michael Malone. If Donovan stays, he may be in a position to have a greater say on personnel moves.

Denver assistant Wes Unseld Jr., Philly assistant Ime Udoka, Milwaukee assistant Darvin Ham and former Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson are among the coaches who have had strong interviews so far, Shams adds. It’s hard to go wrong with any of these names but Atkinson seems like a dream fit for the rebuilding Bulls after his success with the young talent in Brooklyn -- Bulls GM Marc Eversley made it clear that his top priority was to bring in a coach for player development.

“I was surprised to find there was one player development coach on the staff,” Eversley said. “That’s a hell of a job for one person to take on ... We were the second-youngest team in the NBA last year, and I really believe it starts with a foundation of player development.” No decisions have been made on the coaching front, but the emphasis on youth is good news for guys like Wendell Carter Jr., Coby White, Daniel Gafford, Shaq Harrison and Denzel Valentine. It may also result in a better role for Lauri Markkanen, who has often been marginalized by coach Jim Boylen.