The Bulls front office faced “a ‘credibility’ problem around the league and with their own fans” leading up to the ouster of President of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas and GM Marc Eversley, according to sources cited by Jamal Collier of ESPN.com. Sources noted that while the leadership shakeup “seemed swift with a week remaining in the regular season,” ownership had been “mulling the change for weeks,” especially in the aftermath of the team’s dismissal of G Jaden Ivey and questions if the team did enough homework before acquiring him last February. Sources added that a “growing disconnect” between the front office and the rest of the franchise, with several people across the organization “unsure about the direction of the team after a surprising trade deadline.” One source said people “didn’t know the plan,” adding the club needed to move on “with a clean slate and start this thing over.” Sources added that Karnisovas and Eversley “maintained throughout the past few years that they were working under the constraints of ownership” (ESPN.com, 4/6). In Chicago, Julia Poe noted with Karnisovas and Eversley removed, Bulls ownership “now must turn its attention to a slew of upcoming challenges” including retaining coach Billy Donovan, hiring front-office replacements and “determining a new direction for the franchise” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 4/6).
PRESSURE AT THE TOP: THE ATHLETIC’s Jon Greenberg wondered if Bulls CEO Michael Reinsdorf can “reverse years of franchise decay by finding a dynamic leader to shepherd this franchise back to relevance or at the very least, the playoffs?” Greenberg added he is “not convinced.” Locally, the media and a majority of the fan base treat the franchise “like a piñata.” Despite being an international brand in one of the top three media markets, the Bulls are “rarely on national TV.” The only time pundits talk about the franchise “is to poke fun at it.” Greenberg: “It’s up to Michael to lead a search that effects real change” (THE ATHLETIC, 4/6).
DOING SOMETHING: In Chicago, Paul Sullivan wrote they finally established that the Reinsdorfs can “actually hear what Chicago fans are saying about their two professional teams and the shoddy management decisions that got them into their current predicament.” What we are still “trying to find out is whether Michael will be able to hire the right person to do something about the Bulls’ mess after being convinced that A.K. was the perfect choice.” As much as Michael Reinsdorf “wants to prove he’s his own man, he’s almost a carbon copy of his father when it comes to loyalty to his people.” Sullivan: “Only when the franchise has hit rock bottom do they finally throw up their hands and make a decision” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 4/6).
TRY TO FIX: YAHOO SPORTS’ Morten Jensen wrote the Reinsdorfs -- led by Michael -- have a “reputation of focusing on the financial aspect more than the actual on-court product.” With fans becoming “increasingly apathetic and disinterested in the Bulls,” the skeptical approach here is they “saw the firing of Karnišovas and Eversley as an attempt to lure fans back in, to earn yet another quick buck by dangling the carrot of hope in front of the United Center crowd.” If that is the case, that will not “be good enough.” Jensen: “The fan base is more critical than ever, and rightly so. It will take nothing short of complete devotion to get the brand of the Bulls back to where it once was, and that means ownership buy-in on a basketball level” (YAHOO SPORTS, 4/6).
