The Chicago Bulls hired Arturas Karnisovas in April of 2020. Since that acquisition from the Denver Nuggets, the Bulls have eclipsed a record of 175-189, or a 48% winning rate. The most significant trade completed by the VP of basketball operations and leader in the front office was grabbing Nikola Vucevic from the Orlando Magic. Since adding him, he's yet to be named an All-Star and has only one playoff win with the Bulls. Extending Zach LaVine after zero All-NBA nominations and only one playoff win was another head-scratching move from Karnisovas. Keeping Patrick Williams on a five-year, $90-million deal after failing to show substantial development through his first four seasons was the final straw for many Bulls fans. In the middle of a 19-27 year, headed for their third consecutive losing season, a final nail was just drilled into his coffin in Chicago.
Still Playing Patrick Williams Over Matas Buzelis, Julian Phillips
Karnisovas has an obvious flaw in admitting when he's made a mistake. Whether it was trading three first-round selections effectively for an aging, past-his-prime Vucevic and then extending him at the age of 32 after two straight losing campaigns or inking Williams to his mega-deal despite seeing a complete lack of improvement throughout his young career, the inability to admit his faults will be Karnisovas's demise. The last indictment? Sticking with his first draft selection in Chicago, Williams at fourth overall in 2020, over Buzelis's development.
Matas Buzelis as a ROOKIE is better than Patrick Williams in his 5th season.
— Die-Hard Chicago Bulls Fans (@DieHardCBfans) January 20, 2025
Per 36 Minutes Stats:
Matas Buzelis: 13.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.3 BPG
Patrick Williams: 12.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.1 SPG
Make Matas Buzelis the starter. Do the right thing. Develop him!
Cut your losses on PWill pic.twitter.com/cSFNNDL4gK
Drafting a bust at fourth overall is a mistake, but several franchises have whiffed on top-end draft picks and still found a way to avoid turmoil within the organization. Allowing your ego to continually trot out a proven bust rather than a blossoming 20-year-old talent is unforgivable. Karnisovas has proven time and time again to fall on his sword when swinging and missing on various acquisitions.
Not Trusted With Another Rebuild
One of the many current issues with the Chicago Bulls is what to do at the trade deadline and the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft. They own a protected top-ten draft pick that they're on pace to narrowly miss out on retaining in exchange for an NBA Play-In Tournament loss. Selling assets at the deadline is the correct decision, but it would also mean Karnisovas has committed to a rebuild and retaining that draft selection. If that becomes a reality, has he given any reason to trust his group with another rebuilding process? Assuming a deadline firesale leaves the Bulls with a flurry of new young assets and draft picks to build a future with, the current regime should not be trusted to utilize them.
It’s been 5 years since the Bulls hired Arturas Karnisovas & Marc Eversley.
— Die-Hard Chicago Bulls Fans (@DieHardCBfans) January 23, 2025
So far:
- 1 trip to the playoffs
- 1 playoff game win
- Several bad trades involving draft picks
- Drafted a bust Patrick Williams over Tyrese Haliburton & Maxey
- Signed several bad contracts pic.twitter.com/4jUq3itykz
Matas Buzelis is on pace to see his least amount of action in any month since October.
— Drew Stevens (@Drew_H_Stevens) January 22, 2025
Again, I think the front office deserves the bulk of the finger pointing.
I wonder if, by Feb. 6, Artūras Karnišovas will have learned anything new about his 11th-overall pick… https://t.co/TgQq3Q2BDz pic.twitter.com/t2QTINJQr4
In a laundry list of issues within Chicago's organization, Karnisovas's group should top the list. What happens at the deadline in a few weeks, and does this regime survive a fourth losing season in five tries?
