Arturas Karnisovas has not been a fan of taking the stand at media sessions during his tenure with the Chicago Bulls. He's learned quickly that the massive market of Chicago is unforgiving and relentless, with little room for error. His repeated mistakes and questionable decisions have spiked backlash from Bulls fans and the media, which has grown restless over the last three years more than ever. Following the trade cutoff, he addressed Chicago, answered questions, and justified his group's actions over the previous month. Here's what he covered during his live press conference.
Still Competing For Titles
Despite what the Zach LaVine trade may indicate, accepting an imminent rebuilding phase, Karnisovas stayed adamant that his group is pushing for the playoffs. Now that they control their own first-round pick regardless of where it lands, his concerns were more with making the playoffs or the NBA Play-In Tournament than with chasing a higher draft selection. His constant refusal to ever use any terms outside of chasing championship contention, competitive integrity, and putting a product on the floor to win games. Trading away a two-time All-Star for zero win-now pieces does not support this statement.
Bulls VP Arturas Karnisovas acknowledges the team is in a transition phase with "more to come":
— Jamal Collier (@JamalCollier) February 6, 2025
"3 1/2 years ago, we put a group together and that didn’t work. Right now we’re taking a step back and got younger… but right now we’re in complete control of our draft picks”
Several media outlets directly asked questions regarding his lack of success during his entire time in Chicago. Karnisovas was quick to deflect and defend, using typical gray-area terms that many sports fans have grown accustomed to hearing, without real substance to an admittance of guilt or promise of a change of direction or attack strategy.
Refused To Confirm LaVine Packages
An interesting question was posed on whether the Bulls were ever offered a first-round pick for Zach LaVine. Unsurprisingly, the VP of Basketball Operations bounced the question, stating he would not discuss details or the history of LaVine trade talks. He also noted that acquiring their protected draft pick in the upcoming NBA Draft was to provide flexibility and comfortability to pursue any direction the franchise felt was best for the future.
Playoff Experience Worth A Worse Draft Pick
AK shared that he would rather the Bulls make the NBA Play-In Tournament or playoffs than drop in the standings for a better draft pick. The lack of vision beyond this season is alarming from the front office. As a head coach or player, making the playoffs is always the goal. Karnisovas noted that adding playoff experience can benefit young players and develop talent. Still, his response was concerning as the leader of a group thinking three to five years ahead. Adding a higher draft pick at the expense of a few games of postseason experience, primarily for most players who likely will not see the rebuild through to the point of eventual contention, is a mindset that not many front offices would agree with and could be considered malpractice.
Artūras Karnišovas on if young core leads them to play-in/playoffs at expense of lowering draft lottery odds: “That’s worth it to me.”
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) February 6, 2025
Says young players learning to win is sign of growth/development.
Overall, AK had another weak showing at the mic. From deflecting any tricky questions to meddling in the middle ground again without a clear direction for the franchise, it was another underwhelming media sighting for the underperforming front-office leader. In the first few minutes, he expressed how the team wants to compete for NBA championships and would prefer to make the playoffs versus a better draft pick by finishing lower in the standings. A few moments later, he also addressed trading away their best player and two-time All-Star veteran leader and didn't add any win-now assets.
The confusion and frustration only built over the last 20 minutes of his foggy explanations and justifications. Trusting Karnisovas with another draft or rebuild would tank this organization even further than it already is.
