Bulls Rumors: Jim Boylen, Doug Collins Had 'Falling Out' over Coaches Meetings

Chicago Bulls head coach Jim Boylen and senior adviser of basketball operations Doug Collins reportedly had a "falling out" this season.

According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, Boylen wanted Collins to stop attending coaches' meetings. The writer also noted Collins is "in the background."

Collins spent 11 seasons as an NBA head coach, including three with the Bulls from 1986-87 through 1988-89. Collins also went on to enjoy stints with the Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers before becoming a television analyst and then joining the Bulls front office.

At 21-41, the Bulls are 11th in the Eastern Conference and trail the Orlando Magic by six games for the final playoff spot. Based on that, it seems likely Chicago will miss the postseason for the third consecutive campaign.

The 54-year-old Boylen had a ton of NBA assistant coaching experience and was the head coach at the University of Utah for four seasons from 2007-08 through 2010-11 before he caught on as head coach of the Bulls in 2018.

After Fred Hoiberg's firing last season, Boylen was promoted from associate head coach to head coach and finished the year with a 17-41 record.

There has not been a marked improvement under him this season, although Zach LaVine is averaging a career-high 25.5 points per game, second-year center Wendell Carter Jr. has been slightly more productive as a scorer and rebounder and rookie first-round pick Coby White is coming into his own with 28.0 points per game over his past six appearances.

Given the fact that the Bulls have a young roster and were without a potentially key piece in small forward Otto Porter Jr. for much of the year because of a foot injury, it stands to reason that the front office could give Boylen one more season to make sizable gains.

If that doesn't happen, the Bulls could be in the market for another head coach, and Collins may have some involvement in that process given his extensive NBA head coaching experience.