In the minds of most Chicago Bulls fans, the decision on Jim Boylen shouldn’t be this hard. He had a .317 winning percentage during his time with the team. Several key players have expressed a lack of belief in what he’s trying to do. Key members of the roster like Lauri Markkanen saw their production dip since he took over. Then there’s the game management and questionable preparation. What else is there to see?

Well VP Arturas Karnisovas has a problem. That Bulls ownership are fans of the coach. While they haven’t outright ordered him to keep Boylen, they have insisted he get a fair shake. Thus weeks have continued to pass by with no official decision made. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times revealed there might be a reason for this. The Bulls head exec is waiting to see what happens with the proposed second bubble the NBA could install.

“If the Orlando bubble doesn’t burst by September, the organizations left out could form the “Chicago 8,” giving the league a second working platform to salvage something meaningful from the 2019-20 season.

Will it give the Bulls more than the 22 wins they earned from the lost season? No.

But it will give Karnisovas more answers. Something he desperately needs.

A source reiterated on Friday that head coach Jim Boylen remained confident that he will keep his job heading into next season, and was pleased with the relationship he’s already built with Karnisovas and new general manager Marc Eversley.

The Sun-Times, however, reported last month that Karnisovas and the new-look front office had heard enough from key players and the mixed feelings they had about Boylen, to be prepared to make a coaching change once they went through a “deliberate’’ process of getting to personally know Boylen.”

New Bulls brass could use bubble to evaluate Jim Boylen

Essentially this bubble idea could be viewed as an opportunity for Karnisovas to get what he’s missing. A chance to watch Boylen coach the team in a live setting. The Chicago bubble would take place between the eight teams that failed to qualify for the playoff tournament in Orlando. Its purpose would be to get those teams some much-needed work to get back into basketball shape after such a long layoff and prepare for next season.

Those games would give Karnisovas plenty to evaluate so he can make an informed decision. At the very least it would offer a valid excuse for him to finally make a switch he already has planned. It isn’t what most Bulls fans want to hear, but it’s something that will grab the attention of the wider NBA. For too long the organization has a reputation for mistreating its coaches.

This patient approach would show people that they’ve learned their lesson and hopefully make Chicago a more attractive destination for top candidates.