CHICAGO -- Jerry Krause is looking for someone who is loyal to him, someone who knows the game and someone who commands the respect of the players, to be the Chicago Bulls' next head coach.

Krause doesn't have to look far. Two of the Bulls' current assistants, Bill Cartwright and Bill Berry, possess all three qualities, but it is believed Krause will name Cartwright as Tim Floyd's successor, the Chicago Sun-Times reported in its Wednesday editions.

And it was announced Thursday night that the Bulls will hold a news conference at 4 p.m. ET at their practice facility in Deerfield, Ill., to announce a new head coach.

Krause, the team's executive vice president of basketball operations, spent part of Christmas Day holed up in his office at the Berto Center, working the phones while trying to find a new coach who can salvage something positive out of this season.

Krause often has said Cartwright was the best leader he's ever seen as a player, other than Michael Jordan. Cartwright has played a part in five Bulls championships, including three as a player and two as Phil Jackson's assistant. Cartwright was kept on staff by Floyd, who resigned Monday after three-plus seasons on the job.

"You'd like to think you'd be considered," Cartwright said. "All assistant coaches aspire to be head coaches. That's pretty normal.

"And I am somewhat familiar with the organization."

Cartwright said he has no idea if he's in the running, and Krause wouldn't comment on the search, except to say it won't be lengthy, according to the Sun-Times.

"We won't have a head coach by (Wednesday's game in Memphis)," Krause told the newspaper. "But it might be by the end of the week. I have a list."

If Krause is planning to promote Cartwright, he made a strange move by naming Berry as the interim head coach. Berry has the most NBA seniority among the assistants and has filled in for Floyd during games when Floyd's been ejected. Krause, who emphasized Berry's role is temporary, may not have wanted to tip his hand by naming Cartwright as the interim coach.

While Berry is in his 13th season as an NBA assistant, that experience pales when compared to the fact Cartwright is a bridge to the Bulls' dynasty, which Krause widely is blamed for dismantling.

One of Cartwright's responsibilities has been working with the Bulls' post players, who include teen rookies Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry. Both rookies have great respect and enjoy a strong working relationship with Cartwright.

"My job this year is just to be the best assistant I can be," Cartwright said. "And part of that job is to know the players, know the league and help prepare game plans, and that in itself, you'd like to believe, helps prepare you to be a head coach.

"But there are other responsibilities that go with being a head coach."

One knock against Cartwright seems to be his low, gravelly voice, which is the result of larynx surgery. But when he speaks, players listen. Cartwright isn't just a former jock, having earned his master's in organizational development and human resources from the University of San Francisco in 1994.

While Krause wouldn't discuss his search, he did say the new coach won't have any more influence than did Floyd. It's believed Floyd's frustration with not having more say in personnel matters factored into his resignation. Krause, who apologized for using profanity Monday in denying that rift, reiterated that he had no power struggle with Floyd, but he admitted the relationship had its rocky moments.

"When you marry somebody, as the marriage goes on, you encounter some tough times," Krause said. "Would we go fishing four or five years from now? I would hope so.

"Did we have tough times? Yes."

Krause said he wasn't insulted by being left off a list of people Floyd acknowledged during his farewell Monday.

"We had our private session before that," Krause said. "There were hugs exchanged and handshakes. Things said in my office were important to me. I didn't think they needed airing, and I don't think Tim thought so."