▁Sk iles ▁asked ▁to ▁be ▁released ▁from ▁his ▁contract . ▁Instead , ▁president ▁Lak is ▁Alex op oul os ▁fired ▁G ome z ▁and ▁offered ▁Sk iles ▁the ▁job . ▁Despite ▁lack ing ▁three ▁of ▁their ▁top ▁players ▁due ▁to ▁injury , ▁Sk iles ▁led ▁PA OK ▁to ▁a ▁winning ▁record ▁as ▁coach ▁in ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁' 9 6 - ' 9 7 ▁season , ▁and ▁an ▁unexpected ▁ 3 rd - place ▁finish ▁in ▁the ▁Greek ▁League , ▁thus ▁ass uring ▁a ▁qual ification ▁to ▁the ▁following ▁year ' s ▁Euro le ague . ▁ ▁Co aching ▁career ▁ ▁As ▁an ▁assistant ▁Sk iles ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁NBA ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 – 9 8 ▁season ▁as ▁an ▁assistant ▁coach ▁with ▁the ▁Phoenix ▁S uns , ▁being ▁elev ated ▁to ▁head ▁coach ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁Phoenix ▁S uns ▁Under ▁Sk iles ▁Phoenix ▁compiled ▁a ▁. 5 9 5 ▁W on - L oss ▁record ▁and ▁made ▁the ▁play offs ▁in ▁two ▁of ▁his ▁three ▁years ▁as ▁head ▁coach , ▁including ▁a ▁first - round ▁win ▁over ▁the ▁def ending ▁NBA ▁champion ▁San ▁Antonio ▁Sp urs ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁Chicago ▁Bull s ▁After ▁a ▁two - year ▁absence ▁from ▁the ▁game , ▁Sk iles ▁came ▁to ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Bull s ▁as ▁head ▁coach ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁He ▁immediately ▁focused ▁on ▁impro ving ▁the ▁young ▁Bull s ' ▁defense ▁and ▁developing ▁greater ▁consist ency