AT THE HEAD of a row of cubicles, overlooking the basketball courts below, sit the offices of Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley, the Chicago Bulls' vice president of basketball operations and general manager, respectively. Each office features a sliding glass door opening to an indoor balcony, providing a perfect vantage point to observe the team they have meticulously crafted.
Karnisovas initiated a new vision, gathering ideas from front office members, coaches, and players. His tenure has been marked by challenges, including the Bulls' second consecutive elimination by the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. Missing the playoffs for the sixth time in the past seven years and the third time in Karnisovas' four-year tenure, he declared in a press conference that he took "full responsibility."
The Bulls responded by revamping their roster, letting DeMar DeRozan explore free agency, trading away Alex Caruso, and allowing Andre Drummond to depart. The team brought in younger talent: Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, and Jalen Smith, signaling a significant shift in strategy.
"We need to have a summer like 2021," said Karnisovas, reflecting on past successes and the need for a transformative offseason. Marc Eversley echoed this sentiment: "We've gone young. We've got players who are experienced and give us a greater opportunity to have a longer runway for sustainability to winning meaningful games for a longer time."
Coby White emerged as a bright spot, finishing second in the voting for the NBA's Most Improved Player award. In a bold move, the Bulls held their training camp outside Chicago for the first time in nearly 40 years, selecting Belmont University in Nashville as their destination. Despite a 24-27 record at the trade deadline, the Bulls prioritized making the play-in tournament, choosing not to unload their veteran talent.
As the season progressed, DeRozan expressed his desire to remain in Chicago. However, the Bulls eventually traded Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Giddey and agreed to a sign-and-trade with the Kings, who offered DeRozan a three-year, $74 million contract. In his farewell, DeRozan stated, "A thank you would be an understatement. The love, passion, and joy you filled me with for three seasons was a dream. It gave me a drive every night to return the feeling."
Eversley further explained the situation: "I love DeMar. He was terrific for our organization the last three years. But I don't think we were in a position to deliver what he was looking for going forward. He wants to win. He deserves an opportunity to win at a really high level. And arguably, we're not in that situation right now. As much as it hurt to let him go, I'm extremely happy for him."
On the injury front, Zach LaVine, who had season-ending surgery in February, has fully recovered and is ready to start the season. LaVine's relationship with coach Billy Donovan has been fraught with clashes in recent years. A team source commented, "He's never won, he's done it his way the whole way and never won. If he's interested in winning, he'll do what's asked of him. And if he's motivated to not be here, one way is to come, be compliant and be who he is."
The offseason saw coaching changes as well, with Mo Cheeks, Chris Fleming, and Josh Longstaff departing to make way for Wes Unseld Jr. and Dan Craig. These moves indicate a broader shift within the organization. "We've promised change and we think we've executed that. I think the changes being made at all levels of the organization are positive ones. Now it's time to put in the work and see if some of those changes are going to be fruitful or not," said Eversley.
The Bulls owe their 2025 first-round draft pick to the Spurs, although it is top-10 protected. With a younger, more dynamic roster and fresh coaching staff, the team faces the upcoming season with cautious optimism. The enduring question remains whether these changes will translate to success on the court and a return to the playoffs.
As the Bulls gear up for another season, the balance between nurturing young talent and achieving immediate success will be pivotal. Karnisovas and Eversley’s vision has set a new course, one that holds promise but also demands patience and resilience. The next chapter in Chicago Bulls history is about to unfold, with fans hopeful that the latest transformation will lead to more victories and a brighter future.