Bulls will be out for the restart and now can focus on the coach

The Bulls likely will have their 2019-20 season officially put to sleep on Thursday, but on Wednesday, they at least received some clarity.

Several reports indicated the NBA is set to approve the 22-team “bubble’’ solution in Orlando, Florida, which would involve eight regular-season games to finalize playoff seedings and a play-in tournament to determine the No. 8 seeds.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, New Orleans, Portland, Phoenix, Sacramento and San Antonio will be added from the Western Conference and Washington from the Eastern Conference. They’ll join the 16 teams that were holding playoff spots when the coronavirus shut the league down in March.

The NBA’s Board of Governors is expected to approve that format at 11:30 a.m. Thursday.

If it’s approved, the season would resume on July 31 and go all the way to Oct. 12 if a Finals Game 7 is needed. That schedule undoubtedly means the 2020-21 season would not tip off until the end of December, as has been speculated.

The plans for the 2020 NBA Draft have yet to be decided.

The Bulls do know, however, that they need not pack for Orlando.

The Advocate Center was reopened for the first time Wednesday, and players were welcomed back for voluntary workouts and treatment.

New executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas now can closely check out players and their interactions with the coaching staff.

Karnisovas has met with players and staff members in Zoom meetings but wanted to gather more information face-to-face.

Most of the Bulls’ fan base, however, is focused on the future of coach Jim Boylen and his staff.

Boylen’s fate apparently is all but sealed. Karnisovas and new general manager Marc Eversley heard enough mixed reviews on Boylen from players and other team personnel to make the case for a new coach.

Ownership has indicated that it likes Boylen, but it would remain in the background and allow the new front office to have the final say, according to multiple sources.