What is the Timeline for the Chicago Bulls' Front Office Search?

While the Chicago Bulls want to do their due diligence, landing on a hire sooner than later in a crucial offseason is still in their best interest.

Oct 23, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Chicago Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas arrives at the arena before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

It's already been a very busy week for the Chicago Bulls.

Following a Monday report that tied six different names to the organization's open front office job, Billy Donovan finally made up his mind. The head coach announced on Tuesday via a statement that he would not return for a seventh season. Donovan had been mulling the decision for roughly a week, ultimately choosing to let a new front office conduct its own coaching search.

The question now, however, is when will that search begin? Ownership can not even think about this step until its lead executive position is filled. And, as far as we know, this interview process is just getting started in earnest.

Michael Reinsdorf also implied that the organization plans to be considerably more diligent this time around. They have already gone out of their way to hire a search firm for the first time in franchise history. Likewise, based on the current list of candidates, the plan is clearly to interview a wide range of executives and gather as much intel as possible.

Let's not forget how important the latter is at a time like this, by the way. The Bulls are in a position to speak to some of the top minds from some of the top organizations. This is their chance to gather genuinely valuable knowledge of the league's best practices and implement those ahead of a new era.

Nevertheless, the Bulls do not have all the time in the world. While the first round of the playoffs may have just started, the NBA Draft is quickly approaching. The lottery and combine are only a few weeks away. Especially for an organization that has two Top 15 picks in its pocket, draft prep is going to be essential.

So, what kind of timeline do the Bulls currently have in mind for their front office hire? ESPN's Shams Charania clarified that when revealing his list of candidates:

"Interviews are expected to begin this week, sources said, and the team is aiming to hire its new decision-maker just before or just after the mid-May draft combine," Charania wrote this week.

Chicago Bulls Have A Lot of Work to Do ...

Nov 21, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas (R) sits next to Senior Advisor of Basketball Operations John Paxson (L) before an NBA game against the Miami Heat at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

A roughly three-week search makes plenty of sense. Fans shouldn't necessarily want them to speed through the process, especially with so much other work to be done this offseason. As if getting this hire right wasn't important enough, the flexibility this franchise has right now presents a huge opportunity in the coming months.

At the same time, isn't that exactly why you hope to get someone in the building sooner rather than later? It's a fine line to walk. The last thing anyone wants is for a new hire to come in and feel rushed to make decisions. Of course, there is going to be a sense of that regardless, but the Bulls can at least alleviate some of the burden by deciding in a relatively timely manner.

For example, having someone in-house before the draft combine is unmistakably the best-case scenario. Will whoever is hired presumably be doing their own prep for their current organization? Yes, but will it be entirely their own draft prep with their own staffers? Probably not. The combine is also a fantastic place to build relationships and pick the brains of fellow executives. It certainly feels in the Bulls' best interest to have their new lead executive doing exactly that rather than John Paxson and Company.

Add in the fact that the Bulls also have six open roster spots and more cap space than any team in the NBA, and this is a new hire who will only benefit from more time to plan things out. Heck, they will already have to manage all of this while simultaneously building out their own front office and coaching staff. It's a lot of freakin' work, folks!

Again, no one is advocating for the Chicago Bulls to hire the first person who sits across from Michael Reinsdorf. But the timeline is something that can not be overlooked. The situation may be different if we knew the incoming exec had his hands tied with minimal draft capital or a packed roster. The Bulls offer the exact opposite, however, which means it's time to get to work.

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