Gordon returning to sixth-man role
Jim Boylan's first move as Bulls head coach came as no surprise.
He asked Ben Gordon to return to the sixth-man role that made him famous as a rookie.
There has been talk for weeks that ex-coach Scott Skiles was urged by management and his coaching staff to bring Gordon off the bench, but Skiles didn't agree.
"I had a very difficult conversation before my first practice as head coach, and that was with Ben Gordon," Boylan said. "I asked Ben if he would be open to going back to the bench in a role that he was arguably one of the best the NBA has seen in several years.
"Ben wants to be a starter, but he understands that at this point in time, everybody needs to sacrifice. So for the good of the team, he's going to sacrifice and go back to that role he had. If we do that, I think it gives us a little better balance."
Bench points have been a problem lately, especially with Andres Nocioni shooting 25 percent from the field in the last four games.
Gordon voiced no complaint about the switch Thursday at the Berto Center.
"I just want to go out and win games," he said. "At this point, coach told me he just needed to make a move and bring some scoring off the bench. I've just got to keep the same mentality, be aggressive and try to score for this team. We've been struggling with our scoring, so my job is still the same."
Boylan plans to start Chris Duhon and Kirk Hinrich in the backcourt tonight against Milwaukee.
Myers backs decision: Pete Myers was diplomatic about being passed over for the head-coaching job. He ran the team Wednesday in San Antonio and has the longest tenure of any Bulls coach, but he's younger and has less NBA experience than Jim Boylan.
"I thought the decision was good," Myers said. "I was just telling the two young guys, Joakim (Noah) and Aaron Gray, you come in and you have to wait your turn. Jim's been here a long time waiting for an opportunity to be a head coach. Now's his moment. When your time comes, just make sure you're ready for it. That's how I view it: It's Jim's time.
"The good thing about it is he's got a lot of ideas about what he wants to do with his team, which is good. I think Jim wanted to put a couple of things in that he's been thinking about for a few days."
Long wait is over: Jim Boylan has been eager to take on an NBA head-coaching job and interviewed for the Indiana Pacers opening over the summer. Still, hearing that the Bulls' job was coming available wasn't easy to take.
"When I first heard Scott (Skiles) was going to be let go, a certain amount of anxiety overtakes you," he said. "Do you personally want the job? Secondly thinking, 'Well, if I get it, will I be successful?'
"I told the players before practice it kind of swallowed me up for a couple hours. And I finally realized that was no way to assume a new position. So I just said I had to let it go and I did.
"Now I'm just totally at peace with what I'm doing. I'm just looking at it as a great opportunity. I like my players. I think they're going to give me a great effort, and whatever happens, happens."
While the Bulls played in San Antonio on Wednesday, Boylan, 52, stayed behind and met with general manager John Paxson.