The Bulls are bringing back a familiar face.
On Tuesday morning, the team’s Twitter account released an official statement welcoming former head coach Doug Collins back to the organization as a Senior Advisor to Vice President John Paxson.
OFFICIAL: Bulls name Doug Collins Senior Advisor.https://t.co/TXfgGa53Mp pic.twitter.com/A7vXrXRHGT
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) September 19, 2017
Collins served as the head coach of the Bulls from 1986-89 while Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were clawing their way up the Eastern Conference. He was very popular in Chicago, but general manager Jerry Krause replaced him with his assistant Phil Jackson before the 1989-90 season. Jackson led Jordan and the Bulls to their six-title dynasty.
Since resigning from his coaching job with the Washington Wizards in 2013, Collins has enjoyed a successful broadcasting career analyzing NBA games. It was his second stint in broadcasting, which will now likely be put on hold while he joins the Bulls front office.
The team’s official statement says Collins will report to VP John Paxson, who wanted to hire Collins back as a coach for the Bulls in 2008. Owner Jerry Reinsdorf nixed that hire.
Reinsdorf on Collins coming back to the Bulls:
“Doug will be great in this capacity for our organization. The position of ‘senior advisor’ has proven to work well around the NBA in recent years, and I am confident the same will hold true with the Bulls. The fact that our relationship goes back more than 30 years certainly helps, but he is especially qualified to assist our leadership in rebuilding the Bulls.” – Jerry Reinsdorf
For a fanbase crying out for fresh faces in the front office, this probably isn’t a very exciting or encouraging hire. Collins is another old face from the glory days past of this tired franchise. It’s not surprising, however, considering how strongly Reinsdorf allows his longstanding loyalties dictate his organization’s list of employees. Perhaps fans should be encouraged. After all, Collins joining Paxson could be the first step towards finally removing Gar Forman from the general manager’s chair.
Here’s Collins’s statement on joining his old team:
“People who know me know the respect that I have for Jerry, Michael, and the Chicago Bulls organization. I am looking forward to getting started and helping everyone. To be able to stay involved in the NBA and work with John, Gar, Fred and their respective staffs, while not having to leave my family and continuing to live in one of the greatest cities in the world—the fit couldn’t be any better for me at this point in my life.” – Doug Collins
Welcome back to Chicago, Doug. Here’s hoping your sharp basketball mind can help steer the wandering clown car that’s currently driven by Paxson and Gar Forman.
