Stacey Interviews Arturas Karnisovas

[dougthonus]

2026? after all this? Good gravy, how? why? ugh

Eh. I wouldn't over think it. He literally said we will use a pick in 2025 then participate in FA then 2026 is a good draft, and we'll have lots of cap room. I mean, yeah, every team with a draft pick will use it, then they will also participate in FA.

I guess for AK, who lost his exercise time at the trade deadline, and fell asleep for 5 transaction periods or so, this is a pretty aggressive plan to actually do things that every franchise would normally do.

[lostonbase]

2026? after all this? Good gravy, how? why? ugh

Eh. I wouldn't over think it. He literally said we will use a pick in 2025 then participate in FA then 2026 is a good draft, and we'll have lots of cap room. I mean, yeah, every team with a draft pick will use it, then they will also participate in FA.

I guess for AK, who lost his exercise time at the trade deadline, and fell asleep for 5 transaction periods or so, this is a pretty aggressive plan to actually do things that every franchise would normally do.

I have been around for far too long to dream about the Bulls using money saved for a top flight free agent, waiting an entire season for that let down would be the only thing that would be new. I am still not sure how Benny The Bull never closed the deal with Eddie Jones.

[robert76]

It's tough for me to listen to the broadcasts with King. He's an absurd homer for his team, more than just about any other color commentator in the league. It works great when we're winning - the Rose days of course, and the un-sustainable blip when the Bulls had the best record, etc. In my own opinion, I have a very hard time listening to the Amin/King duo when we're watching a terrible on-court product. The constant giggling and King's mediocre on-court analysis is rough when the best case scenario for this team is losses and a lucky move up for draft position. King and Amin would be a delight if this team were a viable, winning roster.

This interview felt incredibly awkward to me as Karnisovas has singularly broken this organization with his decisions.

Amin is the worst partner they could've picked for Stacey. He acts like a fan happy to be there and to laugh at his jokes. When Amin was missing and they paired King with other guys, the commentary was way better. Or at least tolerable. Stacey doesn't need an enabler, he needs somebody to calm him down.

[WesPeace]

I’m having way too nice a day to watch this.

Yup, he may be the most uninspiring speaker I have ever heard

He really is.. boring, kinda arrogant, cocky, annoying! Just looking at his face talking it pisses me off
More times than not, he looks like he is forced to do a huge labour for Bulls, job he doesnt like to do at all.

I dont trust his plans one bit.. he maybe is hopeful for 5 very solid NBA players and 5 good players to make it to NBA finals haha.. we dont need a superstar

[eierluke]

The last time it worked were the 2004 Pistons ....

[eierluke]

AK won't change anyway.

I'm trying to find my peace as a Bulls fan by preparing myself with the option to not do any big moves. Most of our guys are under contract for another year anyway.

With one more year together

Ball
White
Giddey
Buzelis
Vucevic

2nd unit:
Jones
Dosunmu
Huerter
Smith
Collins

Donovan just has to make sure that PWill is just 5 fouls to give and they will play .500 without any changes.

No my dream scenario, but at least not a total mess and unless we're going to sign another dump contract this is a position where some competent GM can fix something in theory with a few good moves

[CROBulls]

Bulls employee asks Bulls employeee how Bulls employee is doing his employee job. Waste of everybody time. It's Sunday. It's nice day. Spend your time on something else.

[dougthonus]

AK won't change anyway.

I'm trying to find my peace as a Bulls fan by preparing myself with the option to not do any big moves. Most of our guys are under contract for another year anyway.

With one more year together

Ball
White
Giddey
Buzelis
Vucevic

2nd unit:
Jones
Dosunmu
Huerter
Smith
Collins

Donovan just has to make sure that PWill is just 5 fouls to give and they will play .500 without any changes.

No my dream scenario, but at least not a total mess and unless we're going to sign another dump contract this is a position where some competent GM can fix something in theory with a few good moves

Why would you think this team plays at .500 without any changes? We're playing no where near that level presently since the LaVine trade. Tre Jones is a UFA this off-season so will probably be gone (not that I think this makes a big difference necessarily, just saying).

[DuckIII]

2026? after all this? Good gravy, how? why? ugh

Eh. I wouldn't over think it. He literally said we will use a pick in 2025 then participate in FA then 2026 is a good draft, and we'll have lots of cap room. I mean, yeah, every team with a draft pick will use it, then they will also participate in FA.

I guess for AK, who lost his exercise time at the trade deadline, and fell asleep for 5 transaction periods or so, this is a pretty aggressive plan to actually do things that every franchise would normally do.

I have been around for far too long to dream about the Bulls using money saved for a top flight free agent, waiting an entire season for that let down would be the only thing that would be new. I am still not sure how Benny The Bull never closed the deal with Eddie Jones.

AK would never strip down the roster to get enough money to get a major player in free agency anyway. More significant is that no one big just leaves in free agency like they used to in the 2000s and early 2010s. Its all preemptive trades now, which is worse for us, because we have awful assets comparatively to compete in a trade package.

There is one way for the Bulls to get a franchise player. The draft. Fans and management must accept that regardless of "feelings."
Unfortunately AK does not care about draft assets the way he should - he views them the way a casual fan does. So the only path we have is severely narrowed due to having less options on drat day than we would if he weren't the second worst GM in basketball.

And this is in part why I can't watch him speak publicly anymore. All it does is confirm that he has no idea what he's doing or that, alternatively, he's not being given options as GM (which he denies explicitly, saying repeatedly for years that he has the green light to blow it up and rebuild but won't).

[jnrjr79]

2026? after all this? Good gravy, how? why? ugh

Eh. I wouldn't over think it. He literally said we will use a pick in 2025 then participate in FA then 2026 is a good draft, and we'll have lots of cap room. I mean, yeah, every team with a draft pick will use it, then they will also participate in FA.

I guess for AK, who lost his exercise time at the trade deadline, and fell asleep for 5 transaction periods or so, this is a pretty aggressive plan to actually do things that every franchise would normally do.

I can’t get too fired up about this. Given where the roster is, “use the next two draft picks (probably lottery picks at that) then use your cap space in 2026 is pretty straightforward and non-crazy. It’s not that the concept is bad, as such, though it doesn’t go as far into asset acquisition as it should, it’s just not trusting the execution of it.

[jnrjr79]

It's tough for me to listen to the broadcasts with King. He's an absurd homer for his team, more than just about any other color commentator in the league. It works great when we're winning - the Rose days of course, and the un-sustainable blip when the Bulls had the best record, etc. In my own opinion, I have a very hard time listening to the Amin/King duo when we're watching a terrible on-court product. The constant giggling and King's mediocre on-court analysis is rough when the best case scenario for this team is losses and a lucky move up for draft position. King and Amin would be a delight if this team were a viable, winning roster.

This interview felt incredibly awkward to me as Karnisovas has singularly broken this organization with his decisions.

Amin is the worst partner they could've picked for Stacey. He acts like a fan happy to be there and to laugh at his jokes. When Amin was missing and they paired King with other guys, the commentary was way better. Or at least tolerable. Stacey doesn't need an enabler, he needs somebody to calm him down.

Even though he had lost his fastball, this is why Funk was a better partner. Amin may well be a better broadcaster, but Funk was a better fir with his eye-rolling straight man routine. Amin’s sycophancy just comes off as fake and corny.

[dougthonus]

I can’t get too fired up about this. Given where the roster is, “use the next two draft picks (probably lottery picks at that) then use your cap space in 2026 is pretty straightforward and non-crazy. It’s not that the concept is bad, as such, though it doesn’t go as far into asset acquisition as it should, it’s just not trusting the execution of it.

Yeah, in the end, it was just a nothing statement he made which is fine. This was a nothing fluff interview. It's the type of interview you'd expect when we first hired him, focusing a ton on his history past. It actually comes off kind of weird to me now, like you haven't talked to basically anyone for four years, and now that everything you have done looks like a disaster you start granting interviews.

In terms of the plan, as you note, it's really about the execution and whether they keep/move on from the right guys currently on the roster. He didn't say anything detailed or specific (which also isn't really anything I'd expect given his history and also given the league rules). In the end, I don't have any faith in the execution.

[Red8911]

After listening to this interview I still don’t get how AK got this job and how he still has this job with the way he speaks. He’s really terrible at it and his job requires a lot of speaking whether it’s to people from the Bulls org, other teams, media etc.

From what I understood he will continue to rebuild for at least another year, meaning he will do what he did this year and is trying to do it as fast as possible.

When asked about Giddey he said nothing but good things about him. Obviously anything can happen in the offseason but I think this pretty much confirms that Giddey will most likely return.

When Pat was brought up he went on again about his injuries and how he needs to develop over the summer. We’ve been hearing the same thing from AK since Pat was a rookie 4 years ago, isn’t he tired of saying it ? Guy will turn 30 and will still need development.

Also on the 2026 cap room FA comment, I’m guessing it’s not just about free agency but in general they will have more space to either sign or most likely trade for better players.

[Red8911]

It's tough for me to listen to the broadcasts with King. He's an absurd homer for his team, more than just about any other color commentator in the league. It works great when we're winning - the Rose days of course, and the un-sustainable blip when the Bulls had the best record, etc. In my own opinion, I have a very hard time listening to the Amin/King duo when we're watching a terrible on-court product. The constant giggling and King's mediocre on-court analysis is rough when the best case scenario for this team is losses and a lucky move up for draft position. King and Amin would be a delight if this team were a viable, winning roster.

This interview felt incredibly awkward to me as Karnisovas has singularly broken this organization with his decisions.

Amin is the worst partner they could've picked for Stacey. He acts like a fan happy to be there and to laugh at his jokes. When Amin was missing and they paired King with other guys, the commentary was way better. Or at least tolerable. Stacey doesn't need an enabler, he needs somebody to calm him down.

Even though he had lost his fastball, this is why Funk was a better partner. Amin may well be a better broadcaster, but Funk was a better fir with his eye-rolling straight man routine. Amin’s sycophancy just comes off as fake and corny.

Amin doesn’t seem to know much about basketball either. He’s good at doing the play by play but everything else not so much. I think the guy( don’t know his name)who fills in for Amin is better.

[eierluke]

AK won't change anyway.

I'm trying to find my peace as a Bulls fan by preparing myself with the option to not do any big moves. Most of our guys are under contract for another year anyway.

With one more year together

Ball
White
Giddey
Buzelis
Vucevic

2nd unit:
Jones
Dosunmu
Huerter
Smith
Collins

Donovan just has to make sure that PWill is just 5 fouls to give and they will play .500 without any changes.

No my dream scenario, but at least not a total mess and unless we're going to sign another dump contract this is a position where some competent GM can fix something in theory with a few good moves

Why would you think this team plays at .500 without any changes? We're playing no where near that level presently since the LaVine trade. Tre Jones is a UFA this off-season so will probably be gone (not that I think this makes a big difference necessarily, just saying).

My theory is that the contract status will lead to very few changes over the summer and that this team will improve, once this random group gets accustomed to each other. There have furtehr been made some decissions that might lead to an improvement:
The team keys have been handled over to Giddey and I'm optimistic that this has been a good decision. The team further has send a signal that they trust Buzelis and PWill has to earn minutes from here on. This might increase the overall motivation of all players.
I expect (at least I hope so) Huerter to overcome his crisis and to produce.
This team isn't overly athletic but most of the players are good passers and not mixing around everything and becoming accustomed to each other is a special advantage to passing teams, more than to athletic teams (in my theory).

(I further like that they are tryingto figure out what they do have in Jones: starter or journeyman. Not that this will leave to a better record).

[dougthonus]

My theory is that the contract status will lead to very few changes over the summer and that this team will improve, once this random group gets accustomed to each other. There have furtehr been made some decissions that might lead to an improvement:
The team keys have been handled over to Giddey and I'm optimistic that this has been a good decision. The team further has send a signal that they trust Buzelis and PWill has to earn minutes from here on. This might increase the overall motivation of all players.
I expect (at least I hope so) Huerter to overcome his crisis and to produce.
This team isn't overly athletic but most of the players are good passers and not mixing around everything and becoming accustomed to each other is a special advantage to passing teams, more than to athletic teams (in my theory).

(I further like that they are tryingto figure out what they do have in Jones: starter or journeyman. Not that this will leave to a better record).

FWIW, since the LaVine trade, we are 2-7. Which is an 18 win pace. Granted, we have a lot of injuries here too, so it's probably better than that, but let's assume our real rate without injuries is 32 wins, you think internal improvement and continuity buys us 9 more wins? That would be pretty shocking to me.

Outside of Matas every other young guy on the team that you expect to be a quality rotation player has a lot of time in the league already and those guys aren't likely to make more than small iterative gains. I would say we have considerably less obvious talent on the roster than the last 3 years as well as less guys you could hope make big leaps going forward.

[League Circles]

Eh. I wouldn't over think it. He literally said we will use a pick in 2025 then participate in FA then 2026 is a good draft, and we'll have lots of cap room. I mean, yeah, every team with a draft pick will use it, then they will also participate in FA.

I guess for AK, who lost his exercise time at the trade deadline, and fell asleep for 5 transaction periods or so, this is a pretty aggressive plan to actually do things that every franchise would normally do.

I have been around for far too long to dream about the Bulls using money saved for a top flight free agent, waiting an entire season for that let down would be the only thing that would be new. I am still not sure how Benny The Bull never closed the deal with Eddie Jones.

AK would never strip down the roster to get enough money to get a major player in free agency anyway. More significant is that no one big just leaves in free agency like they used to in the 2000s and early 2010s. Its all preemptive trades now, which is worse for us, because we have awful assets comparatively to compete in a trade package.

There is one way for the Bulls to get a franchise player. The draft. Fans and management must accept that regardless of "feelings."
Unfortunately AK does not care about draft assets the way he should - he views them the way a casual fan does. So the only path we have is severely narrowed due to having less options on drat day than we would if he weren't the second worst GM in basketball.

And this is in part why I can't watch him speak publicly anymore. All it does is confirm that he has no idea what he's doing or that, alternatively, he's not being given options as GM (which he denies explicitly, saying repeatedly for years that he has the green light to blow it up and rebuild but won't).

Fwiw, although it's probably notably less than it used to be, you can still sign a star in free agency outright. It hasn't worked out well for them, but Paul George was a star this past summer and signed with Philly outright. Also, AK has already cleared a massive **** ton of cap space for us in summer 2026, as long as he doesn't start adding back. Seems obvious to me that that was a big part of the Lavine trade. Again, this may be wise or dumb, but he's clearly angling to have cap space be a big option at his disposal, as he did in his first year IIRC, though it was a lot less space IIRC and we ended up mostly doing sign and trades. It helps to have the threat of cap space IMO.

[League Circles]

My theory is that the contract status will lead to very few changes over the summer and that this team will improve, once this random group gets accustomed to each other. There have furtehr been made some decissions that might lead to an improvement:
The team keys have been handled over to Giddey and I'm optimistic that this has been a good decision. The team further has send a signal that they trust Buzelis and PWill has to earn minutes from here on. This might increase the overall motivation of all players.
I expect (at least I hope so) Huerter to overcome his crisis and to produce.
This team isn't overly athletic but most of the players are good passers and not mixing around everything and becoming accustomed to each other is a special advantage to passing teams, more than to athletic teams (in my theory).

(I further like that they are tryingto figure out what they do have in Jones: starter or journeyman. Not that this will leave to a better record).

FWIW, since the LaVine trade, we are 2-7. Which is an 18 win pace. Granted, we have a lot of injuries here too, so it's probably better than that, but let's assume our real rate without injuries is 32 wins, you think internal improvement and continuity buys us 9 more wins? That would be pretty shocking to me.

Outside of Matas every other young guy on the team that you expect to be a quality rotation player has a lot of time in the league already and those guys aren't likely to make more than small iterative gains. I would say we have considerably less obvious talent on the roster than the last 3 years as well as less guys you could hope make big leaps going forward.

You're probably right, which is scary for our status, but I would expect a few guys to improve notably despite not being young, just like I expected it with Vuc this year and was right. Ball and Patrick in particular I think are likely to have a more positive impact. Possibly Ayo too. Though I agree we're not likely to see much more from Coby, Giddey, and not many more guys matter.

[eierluke]

My theory is that the contract status will lead to very few changes over the summer and that this team will improve, once this random group gets accustomed to each other. There have furtehr been made some decissions that might lead to an improvement:
The team keys have been handled over to Giddey and I'm optimistic that this has been a good decision. The team further has send a signal that they trust Buzelis and PWill has to earn minutes from here on. This might increase the overall motivation of all players.
I expect (at least I hope so) Huerter to overcome his crisis and to produce.
This team isn't overly athletic but most of the players are good passers and not mixing around everything and becoming accustomed to each other is a special advantage to passing teams, more than to athletic teams (in my theory).

(I further like that they are tryingto figure out what they do have in Jones: starter or journeyman. Not that this will leave to a better record).

FWIW, since the LaVine trade, we are 2-7. Which is an 18 win pace. Granted, we have a lot of injuries here too, so it's probably better than that, but let's assume our real rate without injuries is 32 wins, you think internal improvement and continuity buys us 9 more wins? That would be pretty shocking to me.

Outside of Matas every other young guy on the team that you expect to be a quality rotation player has a lot of time in the league already and those guys aren't likely to make more than small iterative gains. I would say we have considerably less obvious talent on the roster than the last 3 years as well as less guys you could hope make big leaps going forward.

After having 2nd thoughts I have to give that your take now seems to be closer to reality. I still like my arguments of improving role players, but that probably wont alter the overall outcome enough to a .50 outcome

[dougthonus]

You're probably right, which is scary for our status, but I would expect a few guys to improve notably despite not being young, just like I expected it with Vuc this year and was right. Ball and Patrick in particular I think are likely to have a more positive impact. Possibly Ayo too. Though I agree we're not likely to see much more from Coby, Giddey, and not many more guys matter.

If Lonzo plays a lot of minutes his impact might improve considerably, because the main thing stopping his impact is simply minutes. I don't know there is much reason to think that about Pat or Ayo. Pat's been pretty stable all 5 year in the league when he plays. Ayo has bounced around a lot on shooting efficiency but seems stable otherwise.