Neither John Paxson nor Gar Forman is getting fired. There. The mailbag is done. Wait, what? There are more questions? Ah, I see.

What is the goal for the season now that Jim Boylen has replaced Fred Hoiberg? Are playoffs a realistic goal? Or is management trying to squeeze a few more wins just to save face (and limit our chances of getting a really good player through the draft)? — Tom, Wilmette

I’ll cheat here and use a Paxson response from Monday’s news conference that I didn’t get into the newspaper since we asked the same question.

“We’re not even thinking about that,” Paxson said, referencing the playoffs. “Jim has the opportunity to get these guys to play well. I think we will play much better when we get our guys back. It still goes to the fact that there have to be expectations that they compete more consistently at a high level every single day on the practice floor and into the games and that we play the right way. We talk internally about what that means. Jim, all of us, are on the same page in that. As a head coach you have to demand excellence in your players. They will respond to that. We’re still in the very early stage of what we started last year. And I think this move will help us take whatever steps we take in the future.”

Translated: Paxson wants Boylen to establish a competitive, fundamentally-based culture so that management knows which players will be here long term as it tries to build a championship-contending roster.

I was really shocked by Fred's dismissal. But was much more frustrating was when I found that Boylen is a Tom Thibodeau type of coach with defense as cornerstone and slow attacks, with less speed and more physicality. Paxson for three years in a row was telling us about young & athletic. How do you think the Bulls’ game will be changing with a new “old-school” coach? — Boris, Russia

My man Boris is back. Boylen makes no bones about his old-school tendencies. And he said postgame in Indiana that the Bulls will look to run when they can but that rebounding and tough defense are his cornerstones. It’s pretty typical for any management team to go from one side of the spectrum to the other when it makes a coaching change. Paxson on Monday did talk about how basketball isn’t football, that there’s no offensive and defensive coordinator, that the head coach needs to be strong on both ends. So it’s not like Boylen will ignore the offensive end. Markkanen took double-digit 3-pointers in Boylen’s first game. They’re not ignoring today’s game. Yes, it will be different. And it is amusing how Boylen shares some characteristics of Thibodeau — career assistant, preaching rebounding and defense. By the way, the Bulls won a little under Thibodeau.

Are there any concerns from voices around the league about Boylen's apparent desire to increase the intensity in practice? Sounds like someone I remember. And with the team health being tenuous at best, I can’t help but feel some concern for the well-being of the young guys. — Will M., St. Charles

Ah, another Thibodeau reference. First of all, and this has been lost a little in revisionist history, Thibodeau’s practice demands often were more mental than physical. Kyle Korver used to talk about them reviewing the opponent’s, say, seventh out-of-bounds play at the end of a 75-minute shootaround as an example of Thibodeau’s relentless attention to detail. Management and Thibodeau clashed over the physical aspect of things merely when management asked Thibodeau to make concessions for players coming back from injuries — Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah — and Thibodeau not believing in that. Sure, management might’ve raised an eyebrow occasionally over Thibodeau’s heavy minutes for some players. But look at what Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen played when John Paxson ran alongside them. Plus, Paxson basically said he wanted more competitive practices on Monday in addressing the coaching change. Boylen is going to be more intense. There’s no question about that. It’s up to players to respond.

Photos of all the head coaches in Bulls franchise history. Not pictured: Scotty Robertson (26 games in 1979).

Can you explain the thinking of not putting the "interim" head coach tag on Boylen and to suggest he’ll be coach next year? I understand being high on him. But what does it hurt to leave the door open for other possibilities? — Dan, Sterling, Ill.

That door is always open. It’s only money, after all. And the Reinsdorfs have plenty of it. There’s no interim tag, but he still kind of has an interim contract, though that may be renegotiated. He was already under contract for next season. But they didn’t extend him, nor should they have. So he’s still on somewhat of an audition, although Paxson said publicly that he expects Boylen to be the coach next season. If you’re asking for my prediction, I think he will be. If the Bulls didn’t bring him back, they’d be paying Hoiberg, Boylen and whomever they hired, although Boylen is making assistant coaching money for now — albeit expensive assistant coaching money. Ownership and management both are high on Boylen. Leaving interim out of his title gives him more sway with players. But all coaches are judged daily.

If I recall correctly, it was reported at the end of the Thibs era that as the management relationship with Thibs worsened, the front office went so far as to tell players they could ignore the coach. Hoiberg gets fired three years later essentially because players are ignoring him. To what extent is there a culture of disrespect for coaches within the organization. And since no management changes are forthcoming, is it realistic to think someone like Boylen has a chance at a different outcome? — Hoping For The Best, Preparing For the Worst, Chicago

Mr. Hoping For the Best. It should be noted that some players came to management asking for some cover from Thibodeau before his final season. (For balance, it also should be noted that those same players now sing Thibodeau’s praises.) So management asked Thibodeau to be conservative with players returning from injuries. He didn’t believe in that. I remember when Rip Hamilton hurt his hamstring in preseason of his first season for his brief Bulls stint. Thibodeau wanted him to treat rehab like it was Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Hamilton, who had won titles with the Pistons, was like, “Nah, I’m good. This is preseason.” Thibodeau wanted maximum investment at all times. It’s why he was so successful. It also alienated some.

I don’t think players were ignoring Hoiberg. LaVine said as much on Tuesday in Indiana. Management said it saw a culture that was deteriorating, where losses didn’t hurt as much, where Hoiberg was contributing to a lack of competitiveness and energy and spirit. I think this management team is hard on coaches, but I don’t think there’s a culture of disrespect for coaches. Paxson and Forman have made two very good hires in Scott Skiles and Thibodeau. They’re hoping for a third in Boylen.