Bulls VP says Boylen isn't on hot seat: 'I am in lockstep with Jim'

The Chicago Bulls haven't lived up to expectations so far in 2019-20, having produced a disappointing 9-18 record.

Despite the team's struggles, John Paxson, the Bulls' vice president of basketball operations, insists that head coach Jim Boylen's job is safe.

"I am in lockstep with Jim and his commitment to where we want to get to," Paxson said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Joe Cowley.

"I'll say this again, I thought - and we all did - we would have a better record than we do right now," Paxson added. "I do believe we have talent. It's young and not a lot of experience, but I do believe we have talent. So we've underperformed in that area, but there's no quick fix in this right now."

When asked if Boylen's job is in jeopardy, Paxson replied, "No, no."

The 59-year-old Paxson instead preached staying the course and exercising a degree of patience with the team.

"What's fair to say is, if we stay consistent in how we're working - Jim and the staff and the players are working to get better - then I think it has to get better," Paxson said.

Since taking over for Fred Hoiberg in December 2018, Boylen has produced a 26-59 record through his first 85 games as an NBA head coach.

As for his own job security, Paxson took responsibility for the position the organization finds itself in and said he remains in regular communication with the team's ownership, according to Cowley.