Chicago Bulls Reportedly Weighing Changes at the "Highest Level"

The offseason speculation is in full swing for the Chicago Bulls.

One day after the Chicago Sun-Times put Billy Donovan's future into question, the floodgates have seemingly opened. David Haugh of 670 The Score was the latest to stir up some drama, suggesting that potential changes for the Bulls could come well above the head coaching position.

“I do know this in talking to people who would be in a position to know: This offseason ahead is going to be a critical one, and it is significant for the Bulls," Haugh said on Wednesday. "Changes are being considered. And changes are being considered at the highest level. Unless you’re Michael Reinsdorf or Jerry Reinsdorf, I’m not sure you’re in a position to know what comes next.

And, beyond that, a lot of that will be informed speculation. Educated guesses. And I would be no different. But if I were to make an educated guess, I would think they’re considering moving on in some way, making a change. You can’t embrace the status quo after a season like this – after a tenure like this.”

Haugh may not have provided specifics, but it's clear he is implying all options are on the table for the middling franchise. While this could include the departure of Billy Donovan, it sure sounds like Haugh has been given reason to believe an adjustment to front office leadership could be in the cards. Now, have we heard this from any other sources? Not yet, so we will have to see if this leads to any further reporting. But it does feel worth noting that Haugh works with the Reinsdorf-owned Chicago Sports Network.

A Front Office Shake-Up for the Chicago Bulls?

Arturas Karnisovas of the Chciago Bulls — Sep 30, 2024; Chicago, Il, USA; Chicago Bulls vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas speaks during Chicago Bulls Media Day. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Let's first be very clear about something: A front office change would be extremely uncharacteristic for the Chicago Bulls. The Reinsdorfs have been known for their blind loyalty, which resulted in John Paxson sitting in the head chair for 17 years. We saw a similarly extended run for Gar Forman, who was hired in 2009 and stuck with the franchise until 2020.

Those two former executives made it through countless years of bad basketball without a slap on the wrist. Arturas Karnisovas is only in Year 6 and just decided to undergo a massive roster overhaul at this previous deadline. Simply put, precedence suggests that he may be able to convince ownership to give him a chance to build things back up.

At the same time, GarPax had the Derrick Rose years. They were able to achieve an Eastern Conference Finals run and become a legitimate Finals contender, which is decent justification for keeping a job. What do Karnisovas and Marc Eversley have to tout? One playoff victory and three embarrassing Play-In duds against Erik Spoelstra?

Aside from their few months sitting at the top of the East in 2021, the Chicago Bulls have been irrelevant. They have also now failed to put themselves in a position to potentially capitalize on their lackluster results in the highly coveted 2026 NBA Draft Lottery. Despite Karnisovas pressing the reset button in February, the team is still in line to receive only the 9th or 10th pick.

This brain trust has insisted multiple times that sitting in the middle is unacceptable, yet that continues to be exactly where they find themselves. Perhaps their actions not meeting their words has finally caught up to them. If one thing is for sure, now would be an incredibly natural time to clean house.

The Bulls have all their future first-round picks and loads of financial flexibility. On top of that, they have two decently intriguing young pieces to build with in Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis. A new lead decision-maker may have an image problem to clean up, but he would have countless resources at his disposal. It could be a genuinely attractive opportunity for some of the top candidates in the NBA.

Nevertheless, believing the Bulls will opt for a complete overhaul is difficult. We have so rarely seen it down by this ownership group, and we're not too far removed from reports surfacing of contract extensions for both Karnisovas and Eversley. *shivers*

The only potential adjustment I could personally envision – aside from Donovan's voluntary departure – is a change to Eversley's seat. He has been out of the spotlight for much of his tenure and could be Karnisovas' next "fall guy." The Chicago Sun-Times even reported this week that there have been "whispers" regarding Eversley not being on the exact same page as Karnisovas in the past.

Still, it's nearly impossible to put money on anything other than the status quo. I'll buy that a front office change is coming when I see it. Until then, I'll keep the 2027 Play-In Tournament circled on my calendar.

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