The Chicago Bulls fire Arturas Karnisovas, but they want to continue with Billy Donovan!

The Chicago Bulls have decided to make a radical shift in their sports project. The franchise announced this Monday the dismissal of Arturas Karnisovas, executive vice president of basketball operations, and general manager Marc Eversley, putting an end to a six-season period marked by irregularity. Surprisingly, despite the results, it seems they want to continue with their coach throughout this era, Billy Donovan. 

Karnisovas and Eversley took over the front office in the 2020-21 season with the mission of rebuilding the team. However, the final balance leaves more shadows than lights: 224 wins and 254 losses, with only one winning season, 2021-22. That same season was also the only one in which Chicago made the playoffs, falling in the first round in five games against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2022.

The current season has been the definitive trigger. With a record of 29-49 and placed twelfth in the Eastern Conference, the Bulls will miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, a situation that has exhausted the patience of the ownership.

The owner, Michael Reinsdorf, explained the decision in a statement where he acknowledged the difficulty of the moment, but also the need to change course. The leader admitted that the team has not lived up to what the fans deserve, taking responsibility for starting a new phase aimed at building a competitive long-term project.

During his tenure, Karnisovas opted for an aggressive reconstruction. His first major move was the trade for Nikola Vucevic, followed by the additions of Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, and DeMar DeRozan in the summer of 2021. That squad sparked excitement with a brilliant start (38-21 before the All-Star break), but injuries, especially Ball's, abruptly halted their progress.

From there, the project deflated. Chicago failed to achieve significant returns in dismantling that core, including the departure of Zach LaVine after signing a max extension. Although the team started the current season with a promising 5-0, reality soon set in: injuries, negative streaks—four of at least five losses—and a record of 6-27 in the last 33 games ultimately sank the group.

In the latest deadline, the franchise tried to redefine its direction by trading seven players, including fan favorites like Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu. The intention was, in Karnisovas' words, to "get out of mediocrity," but the moves did not significantly improve future prospects or odds in the draft lottery.

Now, the Bulls face the summer with room to maneuver. The team will have its own lottery selection and around $60 million in salary cap space, with young talents like Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, Tre Jones, and Noa Essengue forming the foundation to build upon.

The Bench Stays Same

On the bench, the situation is different. The organization holds a positive view of Billy Donovan, the coach since 2020, and plans to meet with him at the end of the season to discuss his continuity within the new project.

After years of continuity in the front office—with precedents like John Paxson's long tenure—the Bulls now opt for a clear break. The goal is to start a new cycle that returns the franchise to competing for top spots in the NBA.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los Chicago Bulls echan a Arturas Karnisovas, pero ¡quieren seguir con Billy Donovan!