Is Arturas Karnisovas Gone? A Huge Week for the Chicago Bulls Starts Now

The buzz keeps growing louder in Chicago.

As the organization enters its final week of the regular season, rumors continue to emerge that a front office overhaul could be on the horizon. The Chicago Sun-Times' Joe Cowley has led the story in recent weeks, most recently reporting that "everything" is on the table for the Reinsdorf family as the offseason nears. The future of Billy Donovan has also been a major talking point ever since the UNC job opened up. Signs point to him now serving as the program's No. 1 candidate.

The smoke has billowed even more over the last 24 hours, with a new national source chiming in on the ugly situation in Chicago. Marc Stein of The Stein Line is now echoing the reporting close to home, saying that he has heard increasing commentary about how this will be a significant week for the Bulls.

More specifically, Stein has stated that the organization is set to hold meetings soon about the direction of the team and the future of Karnisovas. The executive vice president of basketball operations is said to be under legitimate "pressure." The sloppy state of the roster and repeated failure to make the postseason are undoubtedly the key reasons. However, one has to imagine that the growing bad press and recent Jaden Ivey drama have left a strong impression on ownership.

The trade deadline was supposed to give the Bulls a far more obvious sense of direction. Taking a step back was presumably acceptable, as long as it was done with a level of forethought. Instead, Chicago's league-high seven moves – which included adding a whole slew of second-rounders and several veterans – have only painted a cloudier picture. In what way has Karnisovas and his brain trust earned the right to undertake another rebuild? He hasn't, and it sure sounds like this historically stubborn ownership may be coming to terms with that.

To be sure, no decision is made at this point. Precedence certainly tells us that Karnisovas can talk his way into keeping a job. But the mere fact that we have reached the point where seats are genuinely hot says a lot about where things could be headed.

For what it's worth, Brain Windhorst also commented on the Bulls briefly during the most recent episode of the Hoop Collective podcast. Let's just say he also opened the door to some massive moves:

"I don’t know who is still going to have their jobs in Chicago by the end of next week, whether it be by their own decision or other people’s decisions," Windhorst said.

What About Billy Donovan?

Apr 5, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan directs his team against the Phoenix Suns during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

If one thing has become almost certain, it's that any real news on Billy Donovan and UNC will have to wait until after the Bulls' season finale on Sunday. Someone touted for his loyalty and professionalism, Donovan is the type to remain locked in until the very end, even if it's in North Carolina's best interest to get an answer sooner than later.

Nevertheless, this is another situation that seems to be only gaining momentum as this week tips off. Donovan has yet to shut down the Tar Heel rumors, and he has only moved up their candidate list with Arizona's Tommy Lloyd taking his name out of the running. Stein all but confirms this in his latest, but he also notes that Chicago hopes to keep Donovan around.

Most can likely understand Chicago's reported desire to have Donovan stay. He has never been considered the main problem and remains a remarkably respected figure across the league. At the same time, firing a front office leader and keeping a head coach do not necessarily go hand-in-hand. What if the new hire wants to bring in his own coaching staff? If that's not allowed, what kind of precedent does that set for a new era?

The alternative could be to give Donovan the Brad Stevens bump, which many have speculated about in recent weeks. But is that something Donovan would even want? As someone who has been coaching for 30+ years, giving that open for a far different role upstairs could be a challenge, particularly with a blue-blood job offer on the table.

If anything, the main takeaway from Stein's latest on Donovan is simply that he is the one Chicago ownership seemingly doesn't want to let go. The absence of such confidence in any front office face is surely notable as April 12 inches closer.

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