As the Chicago Bulls continue to develop and progress, finding an adequate head coach for the future remains an important hurdle to cross.

When the Chicago Bulls released Fred Hoiberg from his head coaching duties in early December, it was clear they were committing to a search for a long-term answer as coach. Assistant coach Jim Boylen assumed that responsibility– if only temporarily– until Chicago could determine which direction they’d like to take the beloved franchise.

Now that Boylen has gained some traction with the team, he may just get to live out the remainder of his contract through next year. Earlier in the season, the Chicago Bulls offered Boylen a raise to compensate his promotion from assistant to head coach. He rewarded the front office’s faith in him by instilling a tougher culture in the Chicago Bulls locker room, one that Hoiberg terribly mismanaged.

Although Boylen has quickly progressed from being possibly the worst coach in the NBA to an adequate stopgap, his future with the Bulls is far from secure. If Chicago finds a suitable long-term solution to their coaching problem, Boylen may find himself packing his suitcase as his replacement strolls into town.

As we take an in-depth look at a few potential suitors to become the next Chicago Bulls head coach, we’ll also gauge each coach’s fit with the team and the likelihood of each hiring happening.