And the man chosen to lead the young Chicago Bulls to the promised land is…Doug Collins? Really? Doug Collins?!
What about Collins’ resume attracted the Bulls? He hasn’t coached in the league since 2002. He hasn’t coached a .500 team since 1996. He has a 15-23 record in the playoffs. Sound intriguing? Here’s more.
Every team he has coached got better after he left. The Bulls themselves got rid of Collins in 1989. They won six titles in nine years under Phil Jackson. The Pistons fired Collins during the 1997-8 season and rebuilt a team that won an NBA title and has seven 50+ win seasons in a row. Even the Wizards have had four consecutive .500+ seasons in Collins’ aftermath.
The Bulls have the #1 pick in the draft. They have enough young talent to package for an available superstar, like say Carmelo Anthony. They would then still have enough talent to provide the core of a team to compete in the East next season and for a title in a couple of years.
Doug Collins is not a has been. He is a never was. Can the Chicago Bulls, the team that once fired him, honestly believe that Doug Collins is he man to lead them to the title? Or, is he the man who will improve them just enough to keep John Paxson employed?
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