Changes On Horizon For Chicago Bulls In Offseason

The last few NBA seasons have not gone according to plan for the Chicago Bulls. They have missed the playoffs in three out of four seasons under head coach Billy Donovan and executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas as injuries have ravaged the roster.

The vision that Karnisovas had for the franchise looked great in the beginning. He had assembled a strong duo of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic that was upgraded with the additions of DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball.

That group had the Bulls fighting for a spot near the top of the Eastern Conference before injuries struck. Ball hasn’t been on the court since January 14th, 2022 because of a knee injury and his absence has derailed the franchise.

Without their two-way point guard, the Bulls haven’t been able to replicate the level of success they had during the 2021-22 campaign. Injuries to LaVine, who played in only 25 games this season, certainly didn’t help the cause.

As a result, Karnisovas has vowed to make changes. He took accountability for how things have played out in recent seasons and is looking to shake things up this offseason to help the franchise get out of their rut.

“I’m thinking about winning,” Karnisovas said. “That’s why I’m here. I’m not here to stay in the middle. The formula that came up three years ago, I thought it was working until a couple injuries. And we’re gonna have to find these answers in this offseason. Obviously, the results are not where we want it. I totally get it. And it’s on me to figure it out.”

This season, Chicago went 39-43. They lost in the second game of the NBA Play-In Tournament to the Miami Heat, who were without their star player, Jimmy Butler. While missing the postseason again was disappointing, it seems to be the wake-up call Karnisovas needed.

Without cap space, it will be interesting to see what kind of moves the Bulls can make. LaVine has been a prime trade candidate since the deadline in February and Vucevic just signed a three-year, $60 million extension to avoid free agency in June 2023.

“I’m going to look at the totality in this group,” Karnisovas said. “This group hasn’t worked. There’s a lot of great things in certain individual players and a lot of young guys that took a step forward and it’s positive. But in totality, as a group, it didn’t work so I’m gonna have to find these answers in the offseason.”

Re-signing DeRozan is a top priority for the team, as he has reportedly already received a lucrative offer. The Bulls would also like to bring back Patrick Williams, the No. 4 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Florida State.

Karnisovas has the support of the higher-ups in the franchise but knows that better results are needed. While chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and CEO Michael Reinsdorf have expressed confidence for now, that could change if the Bulls miss the 2025 NBA Playoffs and extend their streak to three.

“I gotta do my job better,” he said. “It’s my responsibility. This program is my responsibility. Jerry and Michael have been really supportive. Obviously, their expectation is better results. That’s why diving into this offseason, I put emphasis on turning this program around.”