Bulls Make Major Shakeup to Front Office After Lost Season

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Chicago Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas speaks during the Chicago Bulls media day at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on September 29, 2025. (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP via Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls have been stuck in the middle longer than any other team in the NBA. Instead of competing for championships or getting top lottery picks, they have been stuck in the play-in. They have been where no franchise wants to be stuck.

Arturas Karnisovas has been in charge of basketball operations since 2020. In his tenure, the Bulls have now missed the playoffs for four straight seasons. They don’t have a franchise player, nor do they have much hope of getting one. Now, changes are being made.

Chicago has decided to make a big shakeup in the front office. They have dismissed Karnisovas and GM Marc Eversley.

Chicago Bulls Dismiss Both Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley

Bulls president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas talks to the media. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Chicago has made the decision to part ways with both members of the front office. They are now the second team to dismiss their GM before the season ends, joining the Dallas Mavericks. Now, they will have a league-wide search for a new leader of the front office.

Right now, the Bulls sit 12th in the Eastern Conference standings. They have the ninth-worst record in the league, which means their odds are not high to land the number-one overall pick. If the season ended today, they would have a 4.5 percent chance to land that pick.

Chicago hasn’t had the number-one overall pick since it drafted Derrick Rose back in 2008. In order for history to repeat itself, the Bulls would need a lot of lottery luck. If they did win the lottery, that would suddenly make this job much more attractive for whoever takes over next.

Eversley was brought in along with Karnisovas back in 2020. This was the first time he had been the general manager of a franchise. Pressure increased on both in the wake of the Jaden Ivey ordeal after they got rid of him after only playing four games for the organization.

Chicago Finally Made a Smart Move

GettyChicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan yells during a game. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

This was a smart move for the Bulls to make. They have been stuck in the middle for too long. They are in danger of losing head coach Billy Donovan, as he could decide to leave. There’s also a chance that a new GM could want to start fresh and get rid of Donovan anyway.

Still, the structure of how this team runs needed to change. The Bulls have not seriously competed in the playoffs in over a decade. Fans have been apathetic about the franchise for quite a while, and Jerry Reinsdorf needed to make a change.

The Bulls have to make the right hire now that they have decided to go in a different direction. This is their chance to turn the fortunes of the franchise around. They will have their pick of some up-and-coming assistant general managers from across the league. It’s unlikely they can poach another current GM.

Ryan Stano Ryan Stano covers the NBA and College Football for Heavy.com. He has been covering sports since 2017, covering the NFL, College Football, College Basketball, and the NBA. His work has been featured on Yahoo, Bleacher Report, FanSided, and Sports Illustrated. More about Ryan Stano