The message from Bulls ownership to executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas is a simple one: Fix it.
Karnisovas and Marc Eversley got the organization back into this mess of mediocrity, and it’s on them to get it out.
According to Karnisovas, he will have the financial backing of the Reinsdorfs to do that.
In his post-draft media address on Thursday, Karnisovas again insisted that the goal was to bring back unrestricted free agent Nikola Vucevic, as well as extend both Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, while adding shooters in free agency.
A great wish list, but one that comes at a cost.
In all likelihood, the Bulls would have to enter tax territory, which has been a land they have purposely avoided visiting.
“Jerry and Michael (Reinsdorf) have been always open with me to go into luxury tax if our team is competitive … you know, top-four, top-six in the East,’’ Karnisovas said. “If there are players in free agency that can improve our team and we’re competitive, we’ll retain our free agents.’’
One issue with that … define competitive.
If it was going 14-9 post All-Star break, before being eliminated in the final play-in game by eventual Eastern Conference champion Miami? Karnisovas has a strong case to make to his bosses. The Bulls were one of the better teams in the conference down the stretch, including on the defensive end where they were a top five team.
They also played the powerhouses in the conference well all season long, which only helps their argument.
But looking at the 2022-23 product as a whole, the Bulls were inconsistent, stars DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine looked to have lost the synergy they had playing their first season together, and the development of the younger players was a slow crawl.
Yet, they are currently negotiating what a source indicated was a three-year deal for Vucevic, and if they can get him back in the mix, will have a better idea of what the books will look like for the start of free agency in just over a week.
“It’s a work in progress,’’ Karnisovas said of the Vucevic talks. “We’re going to continue talking to Vooch and his representation.’’
But there’s still the elephant in the room. A very limpy elephant at that.
Karnisovas said that Lonzo Ball is off crutches, but as the VP stated at the end of the season, the point guard was still expected to miss the entire 2023-24 campaign.
Privately, the organization knows that Ball’s career is in doubt and he may never play another game as a Bull, but they aren’t about to come out and say that.
What Karnisovas would say was the team was not looking to do a waive-and-stretch with Ball’s contract at this time, and applying for a disabled player exception was still a wait-and-see.
What does that do for the starting point guard position?
For now, very little.
If the Bulls decide to pass on bringing Patrick Beverley back, White is the leading candidate to take the starting reins. He proved to be a better decision maker than he was in previous seasons, and does add a three-point threat to the starting group.
Dosunmu struggled to make adjustments in his sophomore campaign, especially with his decision making, but the feeling is he would be a great back-up point guard with the work he’s put in this summer.
But it also leaves Karnisovas & Co. relying on yet another if.
Good thing the always-confident Karnisovas didn’t seem the least bit fazed by what lies in front of them, as well as the growing criticism from the Bulls fan base.
Asked what his message to the fans was in the wake of a relatively quiet draft night, Karnisovas replied, “They will have to wait until free agency to see what we look like after that.’’
