Sources: Assistant Jim Boylen leaving Spurs to join Fred Hoiberg's staff with Bulls
San Antonio assistant Jim Boylen has accepted an associate head coaching job with the Chicago Bulls, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg had targeted Boylen to coordinate his defensive coverages and use his strong NBA bench experience to facilitate Hoiberg's leap to the pro sidelines from Iowa State.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich wanted to keep Boylen on his staff, but ultimately understood the financial opportunity and promotion that the Bulls were offering, sources said.
Hoiberg and Boylen met recently, and Boylen had been weighing an offer for several days, sources said.
Boylen was the second assistant on coach Gregg Popovich's staff behind Ettore Messina. Boylen was recently appointed to an assistant coaching role on the Canadian national team.
After five seasons at Iowa State, Hoiberg made the leap to the NBA and has been working to assemble an experienced staff of NBA assistant coaches.
Boylen joined Popovich's staff in 2013 after spending two years on Frank Vogel's staff with the Indiana Pacers. Boylen spent four years (2007-11) as the head coach at the University of Utah, where he led the Utes to a Mountain West Conference title and an NCAA Tournament.
