Collins Backs Out of Bulls Coaching Search

Eight days ago, I wrote a breaking story on here announcing that Doug Collins had reportedly been hired as the Bulls' new head coach.  Within hours, Collins said that nothing had been official yet and he wanted to finish broadcasting the Western Conference Finals with TNT first.

Now, I'm forced to eat my own words and report that Collins will actually not be heading the bench for the Bulls next season.  He has backed out of the search and will continue his job with TNT.

"I just knew over the last few days that [Bulls owner] Jerry [Reinsdorf] was really struggling over whether or not to do this, and I didn't want Jerry to have those struggles," said Collins in a interview with the Chicago Tribune.  "I love him.  And I didn't want him feeling that kind of angst."

Just like this writer will be able to get over this embarrassing situation he has put himself in, the Bulls will continue to search for a successor to Jim Boylan.  General manager John Paxson is reportedly not interested in recently-ousted Pistons coach Flip Saunders.  The most recent names to be listed in the carousel of candidates are Dwane Casey, Chuck Person, Tyrone Corbin, and Elston Turner.  Avery Johnson also remains a possibility.

Whoever Paxson selects however, it will undoubtedly help determine whether the Bulls select Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley as the first pick in the draft later this month.  Hopefully, we don't have to wait much longer in a search that has already seen Mike D'Antoni and Rick Carlisle get away.

I've said it before and I'll say it again:  this season is Paxson's last chance to avoid being thrown out into the street by Reinsdorf (I hope).

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