Michael Reinsdorf Made a Formal Apology to Bulls Fans: "I Take Responsibility"

Before Bryson Graham made a borderline masterful first impression, Michael Reinsdorf had something to say.

The President, CEO, and the owner's son sounded like someone who was eager to get something off his chest. He sat down and immediately proceeded to speak directly to the Chicago Bulls faithful. What came next wasn't some excuse or delusional summary of where the organization stands. Instead, Reinsdorf offered an apology.

“First of all, I want to start with our fans. I want, actually, I need to say I’m sorry because the results obviously just haven’t been there," Reinsdorf said. "It’s not something I’m proud of, and it’s something I want to get right. Ultimately, it flows up to me, and I take responsibility. I do feel that today is a step in the right direction. And it’s an important step.”

He could have easily treated the day as a celebration. He could have touted Bryson Graham's accomplishments and acted like the smartest guy in the room. After all, he is the boss with a big fat checkbook. But, to Reinsdorf's rare credit, he came off as someone who understood that the only reason the Bulls were in this situation was because of an overwhelming amount of failure.

Oct 2, 2023; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan (right) speaks with Bulls president and chief operating officer Michael Reinsdorf during Chicago Bulls Media Day at Advocate Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

The organization has long refused to look at what sits right in front of them. They repeatedly chose to ignore the middling results and their disintegrating reputation. They would hide behind ticket sales and lean on nostalgia, all while allowing dysfunctional front offices to dig a deeper and deeper hole.

To be sure, ownership's decision to finally move on from Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversely suggested that they finally realized the magnitude of their own incompetence. But what if that was driven more by public pressure than honest recognition? For things to genuinely change for the organization as a whole, the top dog must own up to his mistakes. Reinsdorf did that, and he sounded shockingly sincere.

Heck, he even proceeded to check the right boxes the rest of the way. When Graham said that he looked forward to making the head coaching decision together, Reinsdorf interrupted him and insisted that he would make that decision alone. When the question of resources was brought up, Reinsdorf did slightly defend the organization's honor, but essentially admitted that Graham has an open checkbook to build his staff.

Reinsdorf even emphasized the right thing on the court. He didn't harp about culture or identity as his previous front office face would, but rather emphasized something very simple: Talent. He even stressed why making this move now was so crucial for the franchise, as they will head into this offseason with as much flexibility as anyone.

“I think he is disciplined in his approach to talent evaluation. I think that’s incredibly important because we are in a moment in time now where we’re headed into this offseason and we have two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a boatload of money of spend, and we have a great opportunity, but we have to get it right," Reinsdorf said.

These are the kind of opportunities the Bulls of yesteryear haven't recognized or didn't even seem to care about. The pre-existing front office would simply be allowed to right the ship. This time, however, Reinsdorf understood the importance of breaking that vicious cycle.

Now, does any of this mean Reinsdorf and Graham are about to link arms and lead the Bulls to the promised land? Of course not. Actions are always going to speak louder than words. The time is now for Reinsdorf to put his money where his mouth is and hold people accountable. With that said, for an organization that has long said the wrong thing, Wednesday's presser felt like a step forward.

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