The Bulls must have decided to fire Fred Hoiberg a while ago

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 17: Head coach Fred Hoiberg of the Chicago Bulls watches as his team takes on the Toronto Raptors at United Center on November 17, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

On Monday, the Bulls fired Fred Hoiberg, presumably because the team’s 5-19 record wasn’t living up to expectations. Except, so far Chicago has been exactly what most people anticipated. Vegas set the pre-season over/under at 30 wins and that was before Kris Dunn got injured. The three-headed point guard monster of Ryan Arcidiacono, Cam Payne and Shaq Harrison is only going to carry you so far. And so, dismissing Hoiberg immediately after second-year phenom Lauri Markkanen was healthy enough to play his first game of the year and before Dunn and another missing rotation piece, Bobby Portis, returned from their injuries smells like a plan that had been brewing for a while.

So was that the case? How long had this move been in the works? And how will this team proceed and improve under new coach Jim Boylen (NOT Jim Boylan) while the specter of #GarPax still hangs over the franchise?

To answer those questions, Sean Highkin (@highkin) joins for a new episode of Fastbreak Breakfast. Sean is a writer for Bleacher Report and Dime Magazine and previously spent time at the beat writer for the Bulls. Besides addressing the cold-blooded nature of Hoiberg’s dismissal, the following topics are covered:

Despite making it to the fourth year of his contract, was Hoiberg ever placed in a position to succeed?
With numerous options in the frontcourt, is Portis still part of Chicago’s long-term plans?
Is the Jabari Parker experiment about to get even worse?
One of the only positives of the team’s injuries and poor start is an increased showcase for Justin Holiday. Is he viewed as a long-term asset or more of an enticing trade piece?

Fastbreak Breakfast is a podcast for serious NBA fans that is incredibly not serious. All episodes are available on Apple Podcasts and Soundcloud or any other major podcast service.

Music provided courtesy of New Man and Codaphonic.

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