With Dwyane Wade owning a player option and the Bulls perhaps repeating last June’s internal debate on Jimmy Butler’s future, this could be another offseason of significant change.
But one area that will remain static is the people overseeing that roster construction.
Despite some outside perception to the contrary, the jobs of executive vice president John Paxson and general manager Gar Forman are safe, sources familiar with ownership’s thinking told the Tribune. In fact, ownership’s trust in Paxson and Forman remains so intact that they would be retained even if the Bulls miss the postseason for a second straight season, one source said.
It’s well-documented that Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and son Michael, who runs the business side as president and chief operating officer, are loyal and long have favored front-office continuity. But there’s also inherent trust in the roster-building process that Paxson, Forman and their staff have in place.
Denzel Valentine, fresh off D-League stint, deserves legit shot with Bulls Teddy Greenstein
A comeback victory in hand, Denzel Valentine lobbed a pass to Jake Layman in the final seconds. Valentine added a little extra loft to give the 6-foot-9 Maryland product an easy chance for an alley-oop slam or layup.
Layman missed.
Here’s why it stung: Valentine had nine assists to go with 34 points…
A comeback victory in hand, Denzel Valentine lobbed a pass to Jake Layman in the final seconds. Valentine added a little extra loft to give the 6-foot-9 Maryland product an easy chance for an alley-oop slam or layup.
Layman missed.
Here’s why it stung: Valentine had nine assists to go with 34 points…
(Teddy Greenstein)
One internal belief is that this represents the first season in the attempt to open a new championship window after the franchise had ridden out Derrick Rose’s maximum contract — and myriad injuries — until finally trading Rose with one season left on the deal. There’s also an internal feeling that Forman’s publicly stated goal to remain competitive while overhauling the roster over several seasons to get younger and more athletic is working.
The Bulls sat at 26-26 and in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, 2 1/2 games clear of the ninth-place Hornets entering Tuesday. However, the main contributors to this playoff standing are the 35-year-old Wade and 27-year-old Butler, with Wade recently calling out the inconsistent commitment and success of "the young players."
After hitting on back-end first-rounders Taj Gibson in 2009 and Butler in 2011, Paxson and Forman have drawn outside criticism for recent picks or draft-day acquisitions Nikola Mirotic, Tony Snell, Doug McDermott and Bobby Portis.
Bulls Q&A: Trade deadline, point guard options, irregular rotations & more K.C. Johnson
We’re hipster heavy in this edition of a Bulls mailbag since so many questioners merely listed their zip codes and not the city from whence their inquiry came. Those nutty kids. Onto your questions.
Wouldn’t it make sense for Fred Hoiberg to give Denzel Valentine consistent minutes since the Bulls…
We’re hipster heavy in this edition of a Bulls mailbag since so many questioners merely listed their zip codes and not the city from whence their inquiry came. Those nutty kids. Onto your questions.
Wouldn’t it make sense for Fred Hoiberg to give Denzel Valentine consistent minutes since the Bulls…
(K.C. Johnson)
But the Reinsdorfs still hold management’s talent evaluation in high regard, one source said, and also have valued its ability to avoid hamstringing the franchise with bloated, long-term contracts for players with minimal impact.
Hitting on first-round picks always has been important because of the ability to hold team control on a rotation player on a rookie-scale contract. That need will be intensified when the new collective bargaining agreement begins this summer. New stipulations aimed at slowing the defections of franchise-type players are expected to alter free agency significantly.
The Bulls are projected to enter the 2017 offseason with $29 million to $53 million of salary-cap space, depending on whether Wade exercises his $23.8 million option. They own their own first-round pick and need the Kings to fall outside the 10 worst teams to acquire theirs, a byproduct of the January 2014 trade of Luol Deng to the Cavaliers.
Paxson succeeded Jerry Krause as general manager in April 2003. He moved into his executive vice president role when Forman was promoted to general manager in May 2009.
kcjohnson@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @kcjhoop
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
