Bulls Reportedly Pick Search Firm for GM Hunt as Billy Donovan Still Mulls Future

UPDATE (4/20): The first list of candidates has been revealed by ESPN. We have more on who is being interviewed!

The Chicago Bulls have taken an important step in their hunt for a new front office leader.

According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, ownership has landed on TurnkeyZRG as the search firm they will use in this offseason's management search. Michael Reinsdorf unveiled that the franchise would go with outside help during his media availability earlier this month. It represents a new strategy for this ownership group, which has typically conducted the process on its own or promoted from within.

In fact, this will be only the third time since Jerry Krause was named the head of basketball operations in the mid-80s that the Chicago Bulls will hunt for new leadership. They transitioned to former player and analyst John Paxson following Krause's departure. Then, once Paxson chose to step down in 2020, Michael led a search that resulted in the hiring of Arturas Karnisovas.

Karnisovas remained in power for nearly six full seasons before he was shown the door. Even with the extended runway and repeatedly poor results, it was still a surprising move by the Bulls due to their loyal and stubborn reputation. Nevertheless, pulling the plug before the 2025-26 campaign finished sent a new message about higher expectations. And the same can be said about finally accepting a helping hand.

Chicago Bulls Officially Add Some Help ...

Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns, 2023 — Mar 3, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; A General view of the United Center during the first half of an NBA game between the Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

First things first, as far as search firms go, the Chicago Bulls have seemingly gone with one of the heavy hitters.

TurnkeyZRG and its leader, Len Perna, are said to have led 1,400 executive searches over the years. They have worked across essentially every major sports industry and have the NBA listed near the top of their recent clients list. Interestingly enough, this is also the same company that the North Carolina Tar Heels were said to have used in their head coaching search. Billy Donovan was reportedly a key target, only for former NBA head coach Mike Malone tos shockingly accept the position.

For what it's worth, it does appear as if some of TurnkeyZRG's most public searches came with major intercollegiate programs. But this doesn't mean they have not done extensive work at the next level, as pro teams are far more likely to keep this information in-house.

So, what exactly will this search firm do for the Bulls moving forward? It's an important question that isn't likely to have a firm answer. The company could merely screen calls, or they could help extensively in the interview process. The truth is that it will be entirely up to the Reinsdorf family.

The hope for fans is obviously that the Bulls do choose to lean on the outside guidance and open their eyes to a wide variety of candidates. For an organization that has been so lost for so long, this is a big opportunity to gather critical information and adopt the best practices around the NBA.

With that said, we have been given reason to believe in recent days that the Bulls are already slipping back into old habits. Rumors have it that former executive John Paxson is playing a key role in the search. Meanwhile, reports continue to surface that they wish for Billy Donovan to take part in the hiring procedure. Jake Fischer shared precisely this in The Stein Line, stating that Donovan could have a "strong voice" in the decision-making process.

Whether or not Donovan is set to return, however, is still up in the air. While many expected an answer quickly, the current Bulls head coach is now a week removed from the end of the 2025-26 regular season. Even with the search firm now reportedly established, it seems hard for the Reinsdorfs to begin the process in earnest without knowing Donovan's next move. Especially if the plan is for him to have a say, getting an answer ASAP is a must.

Speaking of which, we discussed why the Bulls need to get moving on this front office search earlier this week. The playoffs may be only just getting underway, but draft prep is becoming more important by the day, particularly for a team with two Top 15 picks!

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