Chicago Bulls fire coach Jim Boylen

Aug. 14 (UPI) — The Chicago Bulls have fired coach Jim Boylen after just two seasons.

Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas announced the move Friday.

Boylen’s Bulls posted a 22-43 record in 2019-2020. The Bulls went 17-41 under Boylen when he took over for fired coach Fred Hoiberg in the middle of the 2018-2019 season.

“After doing a comprehensive evaluation and giving the process the time it deserved, I ultimately decided that a fresh approach and evolution in leadership was necessary,” Karnisovas said in a news release.

“This was a very difficult decision, but it is time for our franchise to take that next step as we move in a new direction and era of Chicago Bulls basketball.”

Boylen spent four seasons as a Bulls associate head coach before he was promoted to head coach. He spent 15 seasons as an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs before he joined the Bulls staff in 2015.

“Jim is a great human being that cares deeply about this organization and the game of basketball,” Karnisovas said. “I want to thank him for his professionalism and commitment to the franchise.”

The Bulls were one of eight teams not invited to the NBA’s bubble campus for the resumed 2019-2020 season this summer in Orlando, Fla., because they didn’t have a good enough record to reach the playoffs.

The Bulls said they will begin to search for a new coach immediately.