At the head of a row of cubicles, overlooking the basketball courts below, sit the offices of Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley, the Chicago Bulls’ vice president of basketball operations and general manager, respectively. From their offices, each boasting a sliding glass door that opens up to an indoor balcony, they can watch and observe the team they have meticulously constructed and restructured.
Karnisovas, known for his keen eye and strategic maneuvers, began shaping a new vision by soliciting ideas from the front office, coaches, and players. However, despite his efforts, the Bulls were eliminated on the road by the Miami Heat for the second consecutive season in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. This marked their sixth playoff absence in the past seven years and the third during Karnisovas' four-year tenure. In a candid press conference, Karnisovas took "full responsibility" for the team's struggles.
The offseason saw significant changes. The Bulls let DeMar DeRozan explore free agency, traded away Alex Caruso, and allowed Andre Drummond to depart. In their place, the Bulls brought in youthful talent: Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, and Jalen Smith, focusing on potential and longevity rather than veteran experience. "We've gone young," stated Eversley. "We've got players who are experienced and give us a greater opportunity to have a longer runway for sustainability to winning meaningful games for a longer time."
DeRozan's departure was particularly poignant. In his farewell, DeRozan expressed, "A thank you would be an understatement. The love, passion, and joy you filled me with for three seasons was a dream. It gave me a drive every night to return the feeling." Eversley, acknowledging the impact DeRozan had, remarked, "I love DeMar. He was terrific for our organization the last three years. But I don't think we were in a position to deliver what he was looking for going forward. He wants to win. He deserves an opportunity to win at a really high level. And arguably, we're not in that situation right now. As much as it hurt to let him go, I'm extremely happy for him."
Season Highlights and Challenges
One of the brighter spots of the season was Coby White finishing second in the voting for the NBA's Most Improved Player award. Additionally, for the first time in nearly four decades, the Bulls held their training camp outside of Chicago, choosing the campus of Belmont University in Nashville. Despite these positive developments, the Bulls were 24-27 at the trade deadline and faced a critical decision: to focus on making the play-in tournament or to offload veteran talent. Ultimately, they opted for the former, holding onto players like Drummond and Caruso, even though DeRozan continued to express his desire to stay in Chicago.
The Bulls’ decision to trade Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Giddey marked a notable shift. Furthermore, they agreed to a sign-and-trade with the Kings, who gave DeRozan a new three-year, $74 million contract. These moves underscored their commitment to rejuvenating the roster with younger talent.
Injury Setbacks and Coaching Changes
Zach LaVine, an integral part of the Bulls' roster, had season-ending surgery in February. Fortunately, he has fully recovered and is expected to be ready for the upcoming season. However, his relationship with coach Billy Donovan has been rocky. "He's never won, he's done it his way the whole way and never won," noted a team source. "If he's interested in winning, he'll do what's asked of him. And if he's motivated to not be here, one way is to come, be compliant and be who he is."
On the coaching front, the Bulls saw the departure of Mo Cheeks, Chris Fleming, and Josh Longstaff. Their positions were filled by Wes Unseld Jr. and Dan Craig, marking another significant change within the organization. Eversley emphasized the importance of these adjustments, stating, "We've promised change and we think we've executed that. I think the changes being made at all levels of the organization are positive ones. Now it's time to put in the work and see if some of those changes are going to be fruitful or not."
The Bulls also face future considerations with their draft picks, owing their 2025 first-round draft pick to the Spurs, though it is top-10 protected.
As the Chicago Bulls navigate through their transformation, the blend of emerging talent with experienced leadership aims to forge a new path toward consistent success and meaningful victories. With key players poised for comebacks and strategic decisions reshaping the framework, all eyes will be on how this rebuilding phase translates into performance on the court.