NEWSLETTER
According to Yahoo Sports, the Bulls know who they want as their next executive vice president of basketball operations.
NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is reporting that Nuggets General Manager Arturas Karnisovas is the front runner to land the Bulls opening. With the roster full of young talent and the team’s front office playing catch-up in many areas, Michael Reinsdorf apparently thinks Karnisovas is the perfect guy for the job.
“Multiple sources told Yahoo Sports that Denver Nuggets general manager Arturas Karnisovas is the leader in the clubhouse. Karnisovas has a strong draft record and is known to be good in player development, two of the bullet points the Bulls have earmarked for their next top basketball executive.”
Well, I certainly agree with both those bullet points.
Full disclosure, the Bulls have drafted decently considering their lottery luck over the past several seasons, but finding someone who can revamp their scouting department (which is reportedly one of the smaller staffs in the league) and build on their young pieces is a must. Karnisovas has proven to have an eye for talent, adding big-time names like Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray to the Nuggets roster. In addition, he worked as an international scout with the Houston Rockets in the past and in the NBA league office before that. In short – he’s more than qualified to do exactly what the Bulls are looking for.
I’m not surprised at all to hear he’s at the top of the Bulls list. Including the candidates who declined, Karnisovas has been one of the most proven, experienced executives on radar from the start. Plus, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski initially hinted that he would be one to watch once the process started.
A league source also told Goodwill that it’s believed Reinsdorf is looking for a hire that can “surround himself with smart people” and is a “great talent evaluator.” Once again, this coincides with all the talk we’ve had about the Bulls putting extra emphasis on hiring multiple people (aka a complete overhaul). Karnisovas isn’t just – by himself – a good fit, but he’s also someone who can adequately bolster the rest of the front office.
Anyway, the only word we’ve gotten on the interview thus far has been that it’s set. Jazz GM Justin Zanik has grabbed a bulk of the attention, with his interview taking place yesterday and NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson labeling him a “finalist.” Another interesting tidbit from this Yahoo report, though, is that the Jazz might be keen on keeping Zanik around. I’m sure most organizations would want to avoid having their GM ripped away from them, but it’s something to keep an eye on.
UPDATE: More on this soon, but Dave Kaplan is confirming and adding more:
Vincent is on the money here. I would expect this deal to be done soon. Multiple front office hires coming underneath him. Coaching staff will be changed completely. https://t.co/Fyb6JaGeSj
— David Kaplan (@thekapman) April 8, 2020
