The Chicago Bulls are making a chance at the top of their front office fo the first time in well over a decade. John Paxson is out. Now the search for a Vice President of Basketball Operations is under way. The man who will ultimately call the shots on all basketball decisions. Recent word has it that an early favorite to claim the position is Denver Nuggets GM Arturas Karnisovas. This after being pegged as one of the original four names on COO Michael Reinsdorf’s list.
A question worth asking is whether Karnisovas is interested in the job. Chicago has dealt with a lot of stigmas due to reported politicking behind closed doors. Issues that eventually led to several fractures in the organization. Some guys wouldn’t want to be part of that.
Paul Klee of the Colorado Springs Post-Gazette appeared on the Laurence Holmes Show for 670 The Score. He made it clear the interest between the two sides is quite mutual.
“This is a perfect confluence of the Bulls brand, which is still as strong as any in the league except maybe outside of Los Angeles, and a guy who has an eye for talent and talent evaluation that’s as good as I’ve ever been around…I think it’s a perfect fit. I think Arturas really wants that job. The entire Nuggets franchise is lobbying for him behind the scenes for him to get that opportunity because he’s so popular at the Pepsi Center. I love the fit for Arturas and the Bulls.”
Arturas Karnisovas would expand Bulls overseas
Keep this in mind. Klee is a Bulls fan himself. So he has a stake in this entire thing. His pushing of Karnisovas isn’t just professional courtesy. He truly believes the GM is ideal for what that franchise wants. One thing he’d do if given the position is expand the team’s reach overseas. Being a former player from Europe himself, this would make sense.
“When the Bulls do the right thing and hire Arturas, which they should’ve done yesterday, to fix my Bulls because he’s the guy they need to bring in you’re going to have to get used to saying a lot of European names that may be difficult at first…They’re going to go Europe a lot. They’ll go international quite a bit.”
Karnisovas did that in Denver. Star Nikola Jokic came from Serbia. Jamal Murray is Canadian. They also have had guys from Spain and France. So the man has no fear of seeking answers for his basketball team abroad. He could be a huge help in them reestablishing Lauri Markkanen as the player he should be as well.
