People love to say the Chicago Bulls basketball operations job is one of the most elite in the NBA. It’s one of the largest markets in professional sports. It’s the franchise that Michael Jordan built. A franchise with a rabid fanbase that brings in tons of money when the team wins. It is the type of job that can set a man up for life if he does it right. However, it’s also one that can be one of the most challenging.
The Bulls front office has become rather notorious for backroom politics in recent years. Something that brought the downfall of both Gar Forman and John Paxson. That sort of buzz gets out to the rest of the league and can often scare potential candidates away from coming in. It’s hard not to feel like that is exactly what’s happening.
Already the team was rebuffed by Pacers GM Chad Buchanan, who prefers to stay in Indiana. Now according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet, another of their top candidates in Raptors GM Bobby Webster is also off the table.
“The sense is in this case the Bulls won’t be granted permission to speak with Webster, who is under contract until the end of the 2021 season.
It’s not about the Raptors trying to be difficult or stifle Webster.
But timing is everything, and for the moment it’s easy to understand why Raptors minority owner and MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum — the likely point of contact for Bulls ownership — would politely refuse the request of another team to speak with one of his most important basketball employees.”
Chicago Bulls are not off to the best start
Coming into this, the Bulls had four primary candidates they were reportedly interested in with Webster and Buchanan being among them. Now they’re pretty much out of the question before the two sides even get a chance to meet. That isn’t the best sign that the top job isn’t as in high demand as some are thinking.
There is some good news. Chicago was granted permission to speak with one of their top targets in Nuggets GM Arturas Karnisovas. Still, there is no telling how that will go.
Based on unfolding events, it may not end up in their favor. It feels like the Bulls are finally paying the price for their years of front office dysfunction. One that saw them alienate stars like Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler, get in fights with head coaches and answer to ownership that doesn’t always seem committed to building a champion.
Not great.
