AVERY JOHNSON

I like him , but  also out there I think is the Phx's old coach  I forgot how to spell his name. Anyway his uptempo style may fit the Bulls just fine. At the very least the Bulls have shown they "can " play defense.

It seems that the Bulls are cooling off on the idea of hiring Johnson, they haven't even contacted him to schedule an interview.

The reason.........money. Yep, they are going to let a couple million dollars get in the way of hiring Johnson.

The Bulls fired Skiles knowing they would have to pick up the check on the remaining 8.5 mill owed to him for the next 2 years. Also knowing that the next coach would demand 3-5 mill, which would mean the Bulls coaching salary would be 7-9 mill. for the next 2 years.

If they go on the cheap, they are risking loosing out on some good proven coaches (Carlisle, Johnson and D'Antoni). They already lost out on my top choice in Carlisle.

Johnson is owed 6 mill per year for the next 2 years, so couple that with the 4 mill and 4.5 mill owed to Skiles, and the Bulls would be on the hook for 10 and 10.5 for the next 2 years.

D'Antoni will probably demand 5 mill, so couple THAT with the money owed Skiles, and the Bulls would be on the books for at least 9 mill for the next 2 years.

I think that Johnson and D'Antoni becoming available didn't fit in well with the Bulls plans, because they know that a good majority of Bulls fans would want them to hire one of them. When their plan all along was to find a lower priced un proven (assistant) coach, that they could hire for 3 mill per year.

So it looks like this: a lower priced un proven (assistant) coach, that they could hire for 3 mill per year, plus the 4 mill and 4.5 mill owed Skiles.........= 7 and 7.5 for 2 years.

D'Antoni, plus the 4 mill and 4.5 mill owed Skiles......= 9 and 9.5 for 2 years.

Johnson, plus the 4 mill and 4.5 mill owed Skiles.....= 10 and 10.5 for 2 years.

Guess we have to wait and see. I bet the Bulls drag their feet, hoping NY offers D'Antoni a boat load, while also hoping someone else swoops in to snatch Johnson. Then the Bulls will tell us that they are still going to continue the interviewing process no matter what coaches become unavailable.

Here's the irony:.........the fact that they haven't even contacted Johnson yet.

bullsfan4life,

How do know that Avery is the man to make Kirk a better PG?  Avery was a mediocre PG during his own career.  I agree that the two might have things in common, but so what.  Avery is still green in coaching.  I'd much rather have someone who is a harsher disciplinarian.  It's just unfortunate that it looks like the Mavs are going to lock up Carlisle.