NEWSLETTER
When Arturas Karnisovas sat down with reporters after the Chicago Bulls’ second-straight losing season, he was blunt. The front office leader said he believed the time for change was now, admitting that the team’s current “Big 3” had sputtered.
Considering his previous stubborn demeanor, it was a refreshing change in pace. But they were also just words. Karnisovas had to prove that he could follow talking the talk with walking the walk. While there is still a long way to go this offseason, I think it’s fair to say he’s doing more than crawling.
The Bulls traded Alex Caruso for 21-year-old guard Josh Giddey roughly a week before selecting 19-year-old Matas Buzelis at No. 11 in the 2024 NBA Draft. All of this while rumors swirl about the futures of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. So if the mix of moves and chatter were already pointing toward a roster blow-up, Arturas Karnisovas grabbed two air traffic control batons and sent us in that direction on Wednesday night.
The front office leader made clear that the changes are just beginning in his post-first-round press conference:
“When I last saw you guys, I told you we needed to make changes, and we have started that process. While I can not speak to all of the potential changes, it’s hard to predict what we might look like in a week or two,” Karnisovas said.
I like the sound of that! For an organization that had previously loved looking nothing but the same, this comment represents a big change.
Karnisovas also didn’t stop there. He even went on to emphasize “long-term success,” which is something we’ve all been desperately waiting for this organization to prioritize.
“I take my role of reshaping this team very seriously, and tonight was an important step in that direction. As I’ve said, everything is on the table. I want fans to know we are committed and [in] the process of building a team for long-term success,” Karnisovas said.
Part of me wants to roll my eyes and say it’s about dang time, but a bigger part of me is simply relieved. I didn’t believe the Bulls would pursue a rebuild and genuinely recognize the extreme change that needed to be made. I was convinced that DeMar DeRozan was going to re-sign a hefty contract and a few more years of bleh were in store.
However, Karnisovas even implied that DeRozan’s future is hanging in the balance at the presser! That speaks volumes.
Is it possible the front office succumbs to their cravings and jumps back on the treadmill of mediocrity? Unfortunately, yes. While Karnisovas has finally followed up his words with actions, the process must continue into free agency. The Bulls have to make even more moves that add young talent to this team and put them in a better financial direction moving forward.
Speaking of which, I’ll leave you with the latest rumors …
