LOS ANGELES – There’s still a lot Fred Hoiberg could say.

Heck, there’s a lot the second-year Bulls coach should say.

After all, the social media attacks thrown at not only him since last season, but his family members, questioning his ability to coach outside of Ames, Iowa, were plentiful and vicious.

Instead, like Hoiberg often does in moments of controversy, that hike along the high road is a path he knows all too well.

“No, I love it,’’ Hoiberg said sarcastically, when asked if he has been bothered by the critical assessments of him as a coach. “I love it.’’

What Hoiberg will admit to concerning the 8-4 start to the season is this is a group of players that has made it easier for him to coach.

“Well, sure,’’ Hoiberg said. “There’s great accountability in the locker room with these guys. It starts with our veterans. So again, I’ve been so impressed with the way our veterans have handled things, and hopefully we can keep moving in the right direction.’’

That’s about all the energy Hoiberg has left when it comes to discussing the group he had to work with in last season’s rookie coaching campaign compared to now. Because the fact is the 2015-16 Bulls were an emotional drain no matter who the coach was going to be.

Too much dislike for each other, too many cliques, too many players set in the Tom Thibodeau way, too much distrust that Hoiberg was nothing more than a yes man for general manager Gar Forman, too many reservations about a college coach leading them.

Pick an obstacle.

While the missteps of the front office have been many over the last five years, they got it right this summer. Give the keys to the car to Jimmy Butler, get him a riding partner like Dwyane Wade, and rid themselves of toxic players like Derrick Rose.

Now Hoiberg can truly be judged as a coach, rather than head nurse in an insane asylum.

“I think with this team it’s different,’’ Wade said, when asked his assessment of Hoiberg as an NBA coach. “We’re all continuing to learn each other. Fred is two years in to his [NBA] basketball coaching career. What he’s going to be in 10, 12 years is not what he is today. Obviously, no one is. So right now I think he’s doing a good job.’’

Hoiberg has a game plan, has a voice, but also welcomes feedback from players that have earned that status. Wade, Butler and Rajon Rondo have gravitated to that style of coaching.

“Yes, he’s coach, yes, he’s been in the NBA, but my experience is something that he hasn’t had, with the Finals, etc. … so that’s the one good thing about certain players in this league, when coaches allow them to use their knowledge of the game,’’ Wade said. “In certain moments it’s great to go to Fred in the last couple minutes and say, ‘Hey, let’s run this or do this or get to this package.’ And he’s open to it. It doesn’t have to be ‘My way or the highway,’ and we’re growing together.’’

And so far through the early part of the season, exceeding expectations.

“I think veteran players want to be able to call that audible once in a while,’’ center Robin Lopez said. “D-Wade, Raj, Jimmy, they all have such great instincts. I really don’t think you want to deny that part of the game. So far Fred has been wonderful about that. There’s also times where there’s been a back-and-forth with guys, and they deferred to Fred. It’s been a wonderful balance so far.’’

Just don’t ask Hoiberg about it.