CHICAGO — The Bulls front office shakeup that has been speculated for months, and fans have clamored over for years, will begin next week.
The team will start a formal search process to hire an executive with full authority on basketball decisions, a source confirmed to the Chicago Tribune on Friday.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski initially reported the Bulls’ plans to begin the search process, including a list of candidates the team is already considering.
They plan to seek permission to interview Nuggets general manager Arturas Karnisovas and Raptors general manager Bobby Webster. Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan and Heat assistant general manager Adam Simon are also expected to be initial targets, according to NBC Sports Chicago and The Athletic.
As the Bulls quickly became one of the most disappointing teams in the NBA this season, reports began to surface that at least a reorganization of the front office would take place during the offseason.
At the start of the season, the Bulls hoped to compete for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but instead the team was 22-43 when the NBA suspended play due to the coronavirus pandemic on March 11. The Bulls struggled with injuries and inconsistencies throughout the trying year.
The Bulls are expected to keep John Paxson, the team’s executive Vice President of basketball operations and top decision-maker since 2003, in some capacity, likely in an advisory role, the Tribune confirmed. Ownership is expected to continue to discuss the future with general manager Gar Forman, who had already taken a step back from personnel moves.
A new hire seems almost certain to have authority on the future of coach Jim Boylen, who is 39-84 (.317) since taking over as the team’s head coach in December 2018 after the firing of Fred Hoiberg.
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