A week ago, the New York Knicks audaciously requested to interview Chicago Bulls’ Head Coach Billy Donovan. New York’s inquiry was swiftly denied, and Chicago Sports Network’s K.C. Johnson reiterated the organization’s admiration for Donovan, stating, “The Bulls value Billy Donovan highly for his professionalism, coaching acumen, ability to connect with players, [and] his ability to represent the franchise.”
Days later, NBA Insider Marc Stein reported the Bulls were in the process of extending Donovan. An ill-advised, yet somewhat reasonable decision. Donovan’s record is a tick under .500 through five seasons, but an argument can be made that he hasn’t been dealt the best hand. That burden would fall on Vice President of Basketball Operations Artūras Karnišovas.
Karnišovas has been just about as conservative a decision-maker as can be. He took far too long to trade veterans DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. Karnišovas traded All-NBA Defender Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey, failing to acquire any draft compensation. And lastly, he re-signed his first draft pick as lead decision-maker, Patrick Williams, to an undeserving five-year, $90 million pact.
Chicago’s looming decision to extend Karnišovas is dubious
Amid a tumultuous and monotonous tenure as VP of Basketball Operations, the Bulls’ regime has reportedly decided to extend the 54-year-old executive. Along with Karnišovas, Chicago also opted to extend General Manager Marc Eversley.
The foreseen, yet inconceivable, has come to fruition. It’s fair to assume the Bulls would decide as such, especially following the report involving Donovan. Chicago Sun Times’ Joe Cowley seemingly affirmed this train of thought, writing, “Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley needed to be extended first and that has now likely happened,” referring to Donovan’s impending extension.
Still, re-upping arguably the worst executive in the association is a slap in the face to the Bulls’ fanbase. Since Karnišovas was hired in 2020, the former Denver Nuggets General Manager has failed to devise a short- or long-term plan.
Moreover, the Bulls’ success, or lack thereof, has been a direct indication. Chicago has managed one postseason victory and maxed out at 46 wins. The Bulls have been the poster boys for mediocrity, finishing in the play-in for three straight years.
Thus far, it’s unclear whether Karnišovas and Eversley have officially struck extensions. The Bigs, a local Chicago independent media newsroom, first reported that the executives had been extended.
The following day, Cowley doubled down on the report and provided compelling insight, “Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf never makes front office extensions public, but it’s safe to say that Karnisovas — fair or unfair — had a strong selling point in his own extension considering he has set the stage for what could be another roster overhaul next summer when six current players come off the books.”
It might never be publicly announced, as evidenced by Reinsdorf’s confidentiality. According to Stein, Donovan’s contract was even extended sometime in 2022, but not announced until late November of that same year. Regardless of whether the aforementioned contract extensions have materialized, it’s telling that the Bulls’ ownership is robustly opposed to change.
