The Chicago Bulls office is undergoing the massive restructuring that has been long needed in the wake of years of disappointment. Former executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson, one of the executives receiving blame for the team's shortcomings, actually engineered this shuffling of the cards as early as December, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
As Michael Reinsdorf confirmed upon news of Gar Forman's firing and Paxson's reassignment to a senior advisor position, he made it known that it was indeed Paxson who kickstarted this movement:
“John has an invaluable perspective on our organization and where we want to be, and he played an instrumental role in this change by bringing forward the idea of a restructure and reorganization,” said Reinsdorf in a statement. “His decision to take on a new role reflects what I’ve always known about John – that he is forever a willing teammate on and off of the court and always does what he believes is in the best interest of the Chicago Bulls.”
Paxson will be asked for advice when it comes to transactions, roster movement, and the NBA Draft, but the final word will ultimately rest with the newly hired Arturas Karnisovas.
The Bulls got off to a sloppy start to the season and only mustered 22 wins prior to the hiatus, plenty short of where they hoped to be after a few offseason moves to retool the roster.
It didn't take Paxson long to realize this Bulls team wouldn't work, which could ultimately lead to another shake-up in the coaching ranks when it comes to Jim Boylen and even the roster in the near future. Karnisovas is a fan of Chicago's young core, but that doesn't necessarily mean he won't look to make moves as he tries to implement his vision.
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