Reasons Behind the Bulls Dismissing Their Front Office One Week Prior to the Regular Season’s Conclusion

The Chicago Bulls rarely alter their front office structure. Therefore, the announcement on Monday regarding the dismissal of president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley was unexpected, regardless of the disappointing performance of the Bulls over the past six years.

Since assuming control of the Bulls at the beginning of the 2020-21 season, the number of roster missteps made by this duo has only increased. They executed transactions that puzzled the league, such as trading Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey; miscalculated the worth of their own players, including Patrick Williams and his five-year, $90 million deal; and often delayed trading players who were in demand across the league — most recently, Coby White and Ayo Dosumnu at this season’s trade deadline.

Throughout this period, the Bulls struggled to secure victories. They recorded a 224-254 record over six seasons under Karnisovas’ guidance. Their only winning season occurred in 2021-22, where they were swiftly eliminated in a five-game first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks. Currently, they hold a record of 29-49, placing them 12th in the Eastern Conference.

While the decision to make changes came quickly with just a week left in the regular season, sources within the team indicated that ownership had been contemplating this shift for several weeks, particularly following the team’s release of Jaden Ivey and concerns regarding whether adequate research was conducted prior to acquiring him last February, sources informed ESPN.

The front office defended its strategy in acquiring Ivey, but one source characterized the Bulls as facing a “credibility” issue both within the league and among their fanbase.

Bulls team owner Michael Reinsdorf acknowledged the frustrations of fans in a statement issued by the team, which announced the changes and a commitment to rectifying the situation.

Chicago is now set to initiate a search for a new head of basketball operations for only the third time since the turn of the millennium.

This report outlines the reasons behind the team’s decision to dismiss their front office just days before the end of the regular season, the implications for coach Billy Donovan, and what Bulls ownership should seek in their next front office. — Jamal Collier

Why did the Bulls choose to make this change now?

Team sources described a “growing disconnect” between the front office and the rest of the organization, with many individuals uncertain about the team’s direction following an unexpected trade deadline.

“People were unclear about the plan,” one team source told ESPN on Monday. “They were unaware of the process. We needed to move forward — with a fresh start and begin anew.”

The accumulation of perplexing roster decisions also became apparent over the year. The same team source referred to the initial trade for Nikola Vucevic in 2021 — where the team traded Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr., and two first-round picks for Vucevic and Al-Farouq Aminu — as the team’s “original sin.”

Recently, sources indicated that Karnisovas expressed regret over this move, stating that a deal involving two first-round picks should have been the team’s final step toward contention rather than an initial one.

When Chicago did make first-round selections, the outcomes were inconsistent. Their highest draft pick was No. 4 in 2020, which they used to select Williams, who was later re-signed to a five-year extension in July 2024 after lackluster performances.

The Bulls began the 2021-2022 season with optimism — they were ranked No. 2 in the Eastern Conference by the All-Star break — but retained their core of Vucevic, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine for several years, even as the trio became a consistent play-in contender following injuries to Lonzo Ball.

Karnisovas’ inability to pivot away from that core swiftly enough, coupled with the meager returns from trading those players, left the team ill-equipped to contend. Karnisovas eventually made moves at the deadline, attempting to evade another play-in tournament appearance, but the team’s unclear direction, the embarrassment surrounding the Ivey situation, and Karnisovas’ lack of a definitive plan prompted the Bulls to seek new leadership. — Collier

Why did it take so long for the Bulls to establish a direction for their roster?

Karnisovas and Eversley maintained that they were operating under the constraints imposed by ownership, according to team sources. The team’s ownership, along with coach Billy Donovan, were both reluctant to “tank” in order to prioritize a high draft pick, which they claimed limited the team’s options.

However, Karnisovas and Eversley were also hindered by their own initial success. Chicago held a 38-21 record before the All-Star break during the 2021-22 season, but Ball’s injuries that season derailed the team’s progress and resulted in more than 1,000 days away from his NBA career. Ball did not participate in another NBA game until the start of the 2024 season, yet the front office retained the core of that team for two additional full seasons without Ball ever returning to the court. Ultimately, the Bulls traded away the top six players (LaVine, DeRozan, Vucevic, Ball, White, and Caruso) from their February 2022 roster. The only first-round pick they received in return was their own first-round selection in 2025.

“We took too long to choose a direction,” the team source told ESPN. “The Lonzo situation really complicated things. We experienced early success but lacked the foresight to pivot in a timely manner.”

Chicago gradually began making adjustments to its roster, trading LaVine at the deadline last year; Ball this summer; and then Vucevic, White, and Ayo Dosumnu this past February to shift toward a new core featuring Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, and Noa Essengue, who was drafted in the first round last season.

However, the Bulls currently hold a record of 29-49, with the ninth-best odds in the league for the upcoming NBA draft lottery and over $60 million in projected cap space for the upcoming offseason. With available cap space, draft picks, and minimal long-term financial commitments, team sources indicated that the Bulls believed it was the appropriate moment for a new direction. — Collier

What is Billy Donovan’s future with the franchise?

Chicago continues to have confidence in coach Billy Donovan and intends to meet with him during the offseason to discuss how the team can retain him, sources informed ESPN on Monday. Donovan has been with the organization since 2020 and, despite a 224-254 record (.469 winning percentage), he is highly regarded by players and staff within the franchise.

The Bulls have faced significant challenges on the court this season, including four separate losing streaks of at least five games and a roster overhaul at the deadline that left Bulls coaches scrambling to adapt to numerous new players.

Donovan also experienced a difficult season personally. His father, Billy Sr., passed away earlier this year, followed by the death of his mother-in-law, Patricia, just eight days later. Donovan only missed one game, on Feb. 19, and a few practices around the funerals, and team sources have recently speculated whether Donovan might consider stepping back after the season, particularly with a Bulls roster likely requiring a rebuild.

Nonetheless, the team has made it clear that they wish to retain him in the organization, whether as coach or in another capacity moving forward, sources told ESPN. — Collier

What qualities should Bulls ownership seek in a new front office?

A candidate who can provide a clear vision. Since the franchise traded Jimmy Butler III in 2017, Chicago has oscillated between incomplete rebuilds and misguided attempts to contend. The Bulls’ series of moves in 2021 — particularly the addition of veterans DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic — left them in a state of limbo with no clear path to relevance, which is why the team recorded 39 or 40 wins in three consecutive seasons prior to the 2025-26 campaign.

There are indeed reasons for optimism for whoever takes over. The Bulls possess a relatively clean salary cap, potentially two first-round picks this year (if the Portland Trail Blazers qualify for the playoffs), and an appealing market for free agents. — Tim Bontemps

What is the Bulls’ draft outlook?

Following their recent seven-game losing streak, the Bulls are likely to finish with the ninth-best odds in May’s draft lottery — a 4.5% chance at the No. 1 pick and a 20.3% chance at securing a top-four selection.

This presents a reasonable, albeit unlikely, opportunity to move up for one of the top-tier prospects in what NBA executives consider an excellent draft class. Chicago still has the potential to add a quality player if they remain at No. 9, but the options available at that position may not necessarily be franchise-altering.

Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey have been viewed as the Bulls’ cornerstone pieces, but the roster is still far from being finalized. How a new decision-maker perceives them in the long term could influence the positional direction Chicago takes with its selection.

The Bulls also hold the Trail Blazers’ lottery-protected first-round pick. If Portland (8-2 in its last 10) advances beyond the play-in and into the playoffs, Chicago would acquire another first-round selection in the mid-teens. Beyond that Portland pick, which has rolling lottery protection through 2028, the Bulls lack additional draft capital and possess only their own first-round picks.

Securing a stroke of luck on lottery night would be a significant advantage for whoever Chicago appoints to lead the organization next. Drafting effectively is crucial regardless, but without favorable outcomes, determining a direction will be more challenging: a prolonged decline in 2027 and 2028, two draft classes that NBA executives are currently less enthusiastic about, will not provide the most straightforward route back to the playoffs. — Jeremy Woo

What roster and financial decisions will the new Bulls’ front office inherit?

The Bulls cleared their salary cap at the deadline, executing seven trades that yielded eight second-round picks and former lottery pick Rob Dillingham, along with Anfernee Simons and Jaden Ivey, who was waived on March 30.

As a result of these trades, Chicago is projected to have nearly $60 million in cap space available for free agency.

The new front office will take over a roster that includes Josh Giddey, Tre Jones, Matas Buzelis, and Noa Essengue. The Bulls selected Essengue in last year’s draft, but he only participated in two games this season before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in December.

The path in free agency is less clear and necessitates a careful approach to roster building. The Bulls have the financial capacity to sign players, but they are not at a stage to make long-term commitments, which ultimately limits future flexibility.

Chicago will need a checklist for free agents and trade candidates who align with its current identity on the court and its future direction. — Bobby Marks