At the head of a row of cubicles sit the offices of Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley, the Chicago Bulls' vice president of basketball operations and general manager, respectively. From these vantage points overlooking the basketball courts below, they orchestrate the strategies to revive a storied franchise in need of rejuvenation.
A Shift in Vision
Arturas Karnisovas is not one to shy away from responsibility. Following the Bulls' second consecutive elimination by the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, Karnisovas stood tall at a press conference, declaring he took "full responsibility." His determination to foster change was readily apparent as he began soliciting fresh ideas from other front office members, coaches, and players to execute a new vision for the team.
The decision to let go of key veterans marked a pivotal moment in this new direction. DeMar DeRozan was allowed to find another home in free agency, Alex Caruso was traded away, and Andre Drummond was also released. The Bulls chose to replace their seasoned players with youthful vigor, bringing in talents like Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, and Jalen Smith—all players in their 20s.
"We've gone young. 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," Marc Eversley explained.
Key Personnel Changes
For the first time in nearly four decades, the Bulls held their training camp outside of Chicago, assembling on the campus of Belmont University in Nashville. The Bulls' standing was precarious; they were 24-27 at the trade deadline and had prioritized making the play-in tournament for the second consecutive season over unloading veteran talent. Drummond and Caruso had remained integral parts of the team, but dramatic changes were on the horizon.
In a significant move, the Bulls eventually traded Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey. DeRozan, who had all season expressed his desire to stay in Chicago, entered a sign-and-trade agreement with the Sacramento Kings, earning a three-year, $74 million contract. "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," said DeRozan in his farewell message.
Marc Eversley reflected on DeRozan's departure: "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."
Returning Stars and New Bench Leadership
The shift wasn't just limited to players. Coaching changes were also on the agenda. Mo Cheeks, Chris Fleming, and Josh Longstaff departed from their coaching positions, making way for Wes Unseld Jr. and Dan Craig to join the coaching staff. All eyes are now on Zach LaVine, who underwent season-ending surgery in February but is fully recovered and anticipated to be ready at the start of the season.
LaVine's relationship with head coach Billy Donovan has had its rocky moments. "He's never won; he's done it his way the whole way and never won. 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," noted a team source.
Marc Eversley remains optimistic about LaVine: "The most unfortunate situation for Zach last year was that he got hurt. Coming out of camp, he wasn't right. Him going down early in the season proved that. When he came back, he was pretty good and the team was pretty good. Small sample size, but we can build off that. Simply put, we're looking forward to having him come back to training camp and joining the team."
Reflecting on the Past and Looking Forward
With the Bulls owing their 2025 first-round draft pick to the Spurs—though it is top-10 protected—the importance of the current roster delivering cannot be overstated. Karnisovas and Eversley have promised change, and Eversley believes in the potential of the restructuring, saying, "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."
As the new season approaches, the organization hopes for a turnaround reminiscent of their successful summer in 2021. The changes ushered in, swapping experience for youthful promise, are aimed at creating a sustainable path forward. The Bulls’ leadership believes they can climb out of the rut and return to the playoffs, setting the stage for an intriguing and potentially restorative journey ahead.