NEWSLETTER
One of the best parts about the Chicago Bulls organizational overhaul since last season is not only the new names added to the room, like Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversly and Billy Donovan, but the ones subtracted from the room, as well. For example, former Bulls General Manager Gar Forman was among the least popular executives in Chicago over the last decade+, and so Bulls fans widely rejoiced when he was finally relieved of his duties. Even if you liked him as a person – and don’t generally want to see anybody lose their job – I think it’s more than fair to say it was time to move on.
Fortunately for him, it didn’t take long to latch onto another organization, albeit in a far less visible role:
Former Chicago Bulls GM Gar Forman is joining the New Orleans Pelicans front office as a special advisor, sources tell ESPN. Forman will focus in the scouting area for David Griffin and Trajan Langdon.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 10, 2020
Gar is with the Pelicans! Ok! Have fun!
Forman? Really?
On the surface, this seems like a very unusual hire, especially since the Pelicans have a boatload of young talent and Forman didn’t exactly display a knack for relating to or developing that type of roster, but K.C. Johnson does point out an important piece of the puzzle, his relationship with Executive VP of Basketball Operations David Griffin:
Can confirm that Gar Forman will work in Pelicans front office, focusing on scouting, as a special advisor to Pelicans EVP David Griffin and GM Trajan Langdon. First with news: @wojespn. Forman and Griffin have been close for years and shared mutual respect for each other.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) December 10, 2020
His New Role with the Pelicans
Now, let me just add that Forman’s scouting role, “special advisor” can mean a whole lot of different things to a whole lot of different people and organizations. But in my experience (at least, in observing baseball front offices) this is the sort of hand-em-out job you can give without ruffling too many feathers. That’s not to say Forman doesn’t have anything to offer – he’s obviously got loads of experience – but I also wouldn’t necessarily expect him to be running any shows, either.
But we don’t have to be such curmudgeons. Forman is out of our lives for good and so I wish him the best of luck with the Pelicans, I guess. Adios and enjoy The Big Easy.
