NEWSLETTER
Arturas Karnisovas is stuck in the mud. The Chicago Bulls’ vice president of basketball operations tried to turn his wheels, yet again, on Tuesday night. But he may have only dug himself deeper.
Joining the NBATV broadcast crew during the organization’s third Summer League game, Karnisovas discussed the team’s offseason moves and the general direction of the franchise. When asked more specifically for his thoughts on the current roster headlined by Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, Karnisovas focused more on the level playing field across the NBA.
“I think we just try to add to that group,” Arturas Karnisovas said about his core live on NBATV” I think the parity in the league is obvious, so we lost a lot of close games last year. So we added a couple of guys and, hopefully, the parity in the league will help us compete in every game.
I think we improved last year. Our record after the All-Star break was 14-9 … and we had a very good record against good teams last year. We just need to be more consistent and by adding a couple of guys – in Chicago, we always want every game to be a tough out, so we bring in those types of guys.”
Let me first say this: He’s not wrong. I agree that the league’s parity is arguably the greatest it has been in decades. We’ve seen five different organizations win the title over the past five seasons. Do you want to guess the last time that’s happened? Times up! You have to go all the way back to the years 1976-1980 to find a stretch where there were no repeat champs for at least five seasons.
So is it true that a more level playing field can lead to more opportunities for Chicago? Absolutely. But it also leads to even more competition. Not to mention, a front office shouldn’t have to rely on parity nor factor it into the equation at all. The goal should simply be to put yourself in the best position to succeed. Heck, the goal should be to create a team so dominant that it breaks up any existing parity.
I don’t want to go full Hulk mode over this comment by Karnisovas, but it really did strike a chord with me. Why mention parity as the thing that can help you take the next competitive step? Why not view player development and roster adjustments as that thing?
Likewise, the “tough out” terminology is rarely going to win fans over. Perhaps if you’re a team like the Magic, Pistons, or Thunder and built around high-upside 20-year-olds, being a “tough out” is a worthwhile aspiration. For a team that is centered around three All-Star talents, however, the bar should be a lot higher. Simple as that.
I can give credit where credit is due, too! The re-signing of Coby White on a three-year, $33 million deal could turn into a great value. Landing Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig in free agency was also a better-than-expected outcome. Both are instant rotation guys who fill some of the major holes created by a team with an offensive-minded nucleus.
“We tried to address this in the offseason, Arturas Karnisovas said on the broadcast. “I think we got toughness, we got some shooting, we got some guys that play with energy and motor. And that was our objective.”
If that was, indeed, the objective, the Bulls pretty much checked that box. They also still have a couple of roster spots left open to toy with. But, as good of a fit as both Carter and Craig are, it doesn’t take away from the fact that the Bulls are doubling down on a core that just missed the playoffs entirely. And it’s not like that core was banged up and didn’t get a chance to flourish. Must I remind you that LaVine, DeRozan, and Vucevic played more minutes than any other three-man combination in the NBA last season?
Still, as frustrated as I am with the apparent ceiling that “continuity” has in Chicago, I’m even more frustrated with the messaging from this front office. At least tell me something about how you believe Zach LaVine is going to be a superstar … or go ahead and put some real pressure on the roster by saying they’ve vastly underachieved. Instead, there is this overwhelming element of complacency that isn’t likely to inspire any kind of real change in on-court production.
Is it true that doors can open mid-season that can help a team go on a run? Absolutely. We just watched Giannis Antetokounmpo go down and the No. 8-seeded Miami Heat make the Finals. But you also have to be in a position to run through those doors. I’m not even sure the Bulls know how to walk yet. The Heat had a superstar in Jimmy Butler and a roster that went to the NBA Finals three seasons prior. The Bulls have a very similar roster to the one that – at best – has achieved a five-game first-round exit.
I just don’t know, folks. I want to believe that this front office can establish the newfound winning culture that this organization desperately needs behind the scenes. But the messaging from Arturas Karnisovas and the Chicago Bulls front office continues to feel like it’s missing the mark.
