Two Bulls' Front Office Candidates May Have a Huge Leg Up on the Competition

A list of names for the Chicago Bulls' front office job has surfaced, and two of the candidates already have a meaningful connection to the franchise.

Dec 8, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Reinsdorf stands on the sidelines before a basketball game between the Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The interview process has begun for the Chicago Bulls.

On Monday morning, a new report shared six candidates who are expected to speak with the organization about its open front office role. The list includes a handful of top No. 2 executives around the league, as well as one of the NBA's most well-connected agents.

To be sure, it's unlikely that this will be the final list of candidates for the Bulls, but there is no doubt that this initial group casts a wide net. Michael Reinsdorf stressed the importance of doing precisely that during his conversation with the media earlier this month.

With that said, two candidates have immediately stood out among the rest. Both Matt Lloyd and Austin Brown should be on the fans' radar over the next handful of days and potentially weeks. Not only are they each seen as strong candidates thanks to their proven track record, but they each have a legitimate connection to the organization.

Why Matt Lloyd & Austin Brown Stand Out for Bulls' Job

Feb 22, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls President Michael Reinsdorf walks on the court before a game between the Chicago Bulls and the Phoenix Suns at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

First things first, Matt Lloyd's ties to the Chicago Bulls are well-documented. While his success as Tim Connelly's No. 2 in Minnesota has turned him into a viable candidate for any lead job, he was among the first to come up when Arturas Karnisovas was let go.

Lloyd started working for the Bulls organization in the 90s and climbed his way up the ladder until resigning in 2012. In other words, he already has a deep connection with the Reinsdorf family and a full understanding of what success looks like in the Windy City.

Lloyd left to take an assistant GM job with the Orlando Magic, where he remained until joining the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2022 as the VP of basketball ops. Tim Connelly would eventually go on to make him the GM in 2024. The Timberwolves have been to four consecutive postseasons with Lloyd as a higher-up, and this includes two straight Western Conference Finals.

Knowing how this ownership group has operated in the past, one has to imagine that Lloyd's prior ties to the organization and city (he also grew up in the Chicago suburbs) will give him a leg up. The only real question might be whether the team can stomach hiring Tim Connelly's second in command for the second straight time. Arturas Karnisovas was Connelly's GM in Denver before finding his way to Chicago. It's hard to know how much of the team's success falls on Connelly's shoulders versus his No. 2.

As for Austin Brown, the Bulls are right in the high-ranking CAA agent's backyard. He grew up in Evanston and is said to still be living in the Chicago area. But that's not all! ESPN's Shams Charania revealed on Monday that Brown was actually offered a job with the Bulls in 2020 – and not just any job!

"Brown, an honoree on the 2015 Forbes 30 Under 30 list and a member of Sports Business Journal's Forty Under 40 list in 2020 as a well-respected agent, has been offered multiple front office roles in recent years," Charania wrote. "He was offered the GM position by the Bulls under Karnisovas during their 2020 process, sources said."

Let that sink in: Brown wasn't merely interviewed to be Karnisovas' partner but even offered the job before Marc Eversley. All things considered, this feels like a significant development. If the job was his for the taking, this means the Reinsdorfs have already seen a world where Brown is a good fit. The fact that he seemingly turned it down is also pretty fascinating – let alone potentially telling.

Let's not forget that Brown's name was thrown into the mix immediately upon Arturas Karnisovas' dismissal. It felt like a surprise at the time, even if going the agent route has become more popular in recent years. However, Charania's latest report gives us some major clarity on why Brown has been mentioned several times, and it sure feels like a good enough reason to move him up the list of likely hires.

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