With their franchise at a crossroads, it’s hard to believe the Chicago Bulls don’t know which direction they’ll take in free agency.
In a league in which new player contracts annually get announced the second free agency opens — which recently got the Bulls docked a second-round draft pick after the NBA investigated their acquisition of Lonzo Ball — executives are armed with plenty of intel well in advance.
But Artūras Karnišovas, the Bulls chief basketball executive, after selecting 19-year-old forward Matas Buzelis with the 11th pick in Wednesday’s draft, deflected all questions about what path the Bulls are on.
“You prepare yourself, but you just don’t know who’s going to be available in free agency,” Karnišovas said. “Once we know that, we’ll be able to tell more.”
That didn’t stop Karnišovas from making a promise to Bulls fans.
“I take my role of reshaping this team very seriously, and tonight was an important step in that direction,” he said. “As I’ve said, everything is on the table. I want fans to know we are committed to the process of building a team for long-term success. We’ve made some initial changes this offseason, and now our focus shifts on Friday to free agency.
“We can’t predict exactly what’s going to happen, but we’re determined to strengthen our roster.”
Karnišovas read from a lengthy, typed statement that helped keep his thoughts together and his message on brand. One couldn’t help but decode his choice of words. Three phrases stood out.
Everything is on the table. Long-term success. Initial changes.
With those remarks as the backdrop, keep an eye on the Bulls as one of the NBA’s biggest wild cards in free agency.
GO FURTHER
Bulls open for business with DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine emerging as free-agency wild cards
