The Chicago Bulls have fired their Vice President of Basketball Operations and now begin their search for their next executive.

Monday afternoon, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Bulls CEO and president of basketball operations Michael Reinsdorf dismissed Vice President of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley. During their tenure, the Bulls posted a 224-254 record and made only one playoff appearance. Charania’s colleague, Jamal Collier, revealed that a team source told ESPN that ownership has been contemplating the front office’s future over the past few weeks. Jaden Ivey’s off-court issues ultimately influenced Michael Reinsdorf’s decision to part ways with the Karnisovas and Eversley leadership team.

Following the dismissal, CHSN insider K.C. Johnson tweeted that CEO Michael Reinsdorf, senior advisor John Paxson, Brian Hagen, Pat Connelly, and JJ Polk will collaborate to search for new executives. In another report, Collier mentioned that the Bulls will approach their search differently than they did when they fired Karnisovas in 2020. Their previous hiring mindset was to find the top “number 2.”

With two major roles to fill in the Bulls’ front office, rumors quickly circulated about potential candidates for these positions. Sun Times insider Joe Cowley mentioned former Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri as a candidate to watch. Cowley credits this to former Bull Luol Deng, who suggested Ujiri as a possible candidate multiple times this season. Cowley even suggested that Deng could assume the general manager role if Ujiri were hired. Although adding Deng may seem unconventional, he brings significant roster-building experience. Deng played a key role in forming South Sudan’s Olympic team. He even invested his own money to fund the team.

Other names mentioned included Atlanta Hawks assistant general manager Kyle Korver, former Atlanta Hawks GM Landry Fields, current Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy, current Minnesota GM Matt Lloyd, and CAA agent Austin Brown, according to NBC’s Kurt Helin.

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No matter who the Bulls consider, many fans worry that ownership remains committed to Billy Donovan. That commitment could scare away top talent if ownership doesn’t let a new executive choose his own head coach. Multiple reports emphasize Donovan’s close connection to ownership, and they would like to keep him long-term. In Collier’s report, he added that Karnisovas expressed that working within the constraints of ownership was placed. Nonetheless, their questionable moves cannot be justified solely by ownership policies.

Currently, the Bulls are heading into an off-season with promising young players, significant cap space, and a lottery pick. Thus making Chicago an attractive destination for a lead executive. Michael Reinsdorf will address the media today at 3 p.m. CT.