David Kaplan: There will be meaningful change after this season

[Hold That]

If true there’s no reason Masai shouldn’t be #1 on our list. Bulls are a global brand and would be a nice backing for Masai programs in Africa. And this franchise doesn’t put the boom or bust pressure on you like the knicks.

But it all depends on what Reinsdorf if willing to spend on someone he think is capable of a quick turn around. Reinsdorf is old, his next hire definitely has to be someone he believes can change things quickly.

Why on earth would Masai even consider the Bulls when they arent offering him free reign and ownership?
Same reason why he wont touch the Knicks since these teams dont even want to go beyond the lux tax.
Its hard to beat out teams that spend 20mil+ on average regardless of how creative you are within the financial constraint.

Who knows what the Bulls would offer him? There’s many great reasons to want to run the Bulls.. And who the hell is offering Masai ownership? Was Jerry West getting ownership?

[Red Larrivee]

If the information is valid, and I think it is, then it makes no sense for Paxson and Forman to still be employed by the Bulls. Dismissing them gives the Bulls a head start on finding a new regime, allows the successors to evalute the team up close, and develop an offseason plan.

[NecessaryEvil]

Don't believe the hype. Just trying to pacify the fan base.

[bledredwine]

Masai. Make it happen.

Broooooooo

That would be so, so sweet.

[johnnyvann840]

JR has to be concerned that the Bulls are all the way down to 23rd in the league in attendance percentage to capacity. The Bulls used to be #1 in the league at this for a couple of decades, throughout the dynasty and up through the Thibodeau years.... I think it is the most important number when ranking attendance because some arenas are just larger than others so total attendance is not a good measure but % to capacity is.

http://www.espn.com/nba/attendance/_/sort/homePct

[Jcool0]

Masai. Make it happen.

Broooooooo

That would be so, so sweet.

And never going to happen. You are better off making a run at Michael Zarren.

[The Box Office]

Meaningful change, eh? John Paxson fired? LOL Ok.

[kingkirk]

Kapman’s likely source is either Michael Reinsdorf or Doug Collins. Neither like Gar. Gar will be demoted. That will be the big move. Maybe Paxson resigns. No one will be fired.

I know Doug Collins isn't a big Gar fan, but MR? I thought they were thick as thieves. I know their wives are best friends and I thought Michael and Gar were tight. Where did you hear that MR doesn't like Gar?

I said Michael when I should have said Jerry, per the Cowley reports. My mistake.

[MeloRoseNoah]

Kapman’s likely source is either Michael Reinsdorf or Doug Collins. Neither like Gar. Gar will be demoted. That will be the big move. Maybe Paxson resigns. No one will be fired.

I know Doug Collins isn't a big Gar fan, but MR? I thought they were thick as thieves. I know their wives are best friends and I thought Michael and Gar were tight. Where did you hear that MR doesn't like Gar?

I said Michael when I should have said Jerry, per the Cowley reports. My mistake.

The problem with this team is the outdated offensive philosophy and trash talent evaluation.

From my understanding, most of the talent evaluation decisions are group based, not mainly Gar Foreman's. So, it's pretty much the status quo with a puppet GM for Paxson.

The bottom line is that we're going nowhere, except a slow sink to the bottom. We will be competing for top lottery balls for the #7 overall pick for the next 5 years minimum. The bad thing is that the upcoming Michael Reinsdorf is going to be worse than Uncle Jerry's.

This team is going to be sold under Michael's watch as the NBA basement mat.

[Chi town]

Bring in Jerry West. Then I will believe.

[centercity]

Masai ain’t gonna happen. I wonder if the Pacers’ GM Buchanan can be poached for the President of Baseball Ops role (assuming Pax is out.) He is from the Kevin Pritchard exec tree which might be a really good option.

[MrFortune3]

Pax and Gar both need to go. No way in hell Pax should survive another "regime change"

[HomoSapien]

A report from Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck over the weekend said Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri turned down a lucrative extension from Toronto last summer and would be intrigued by the challenge of fixing the New York Knicks.

While the Knicks part of that report may be true, Michael Grange of Sportsnet is refuting that the Raptors even offered Ujiri an extension:

The Raptors’ ownership, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, could have avoided some of this noise by simply giving Ujiri an extension and a blank cheque this past summer but – contrary to a report that Ujiri turned down an extension – there has never been one been offered, according to sources.

Ujiri’s contract with the Raptors is believed to run through 2021.

https://clutchpoints.com/raptors-rumors-contrary-previous-report-toronto-didnt-actually-offer-masai-ujiri-extension/

People keep saying Masai won't happen, but realistically why not? If he leaves Toronto, is there a more prestigious GM challenge than restoring the Bulls to their past glory? Neither LA team will have an opening. Obviously NY is a great challenge too, but Dolan is so much worse than Reinsdorf.

[VolumePoster]

Masai would be the pipe dream obviously.

I am really intrigued by bring Luol back to the organization in a meaningful way.

Whoever they are...they need the authority to tear this sucker down if need be.

[Dominator83]

To add, as i stated in a different thread: For a team thats cheap, Gar/pax sure have wasted an awful lot of J.R.'s money over the years. $60 million for Ben Wallace. $75 million for Carlos Boozer. 2017-18 was on the hook for a combined $20 million for Wade and Rondo to play for somewhere else. $32 million for Felecio 2 minutes into free agency. Bailing out Washington on Otto Porters insane contract, and even GAVE THEM a 2nd round pick for the honor of doing so. Have paid out more than their share to fired coaches to sit at home. This past summer wasted money on Sato and Thad, guys that don't move the needle at all and probably wouldn't fetch anything in a trade either.

In the case of Sato, IIRC they also gave Washington an additional 2nd round pick in that one too. Long gone are the days when they used to find guys like Nate, Augustin, Bellinelli, off the scrap heap for minimum wage. All of the above were better than Sato here.

When a team is cheap, it can still survive but very difficult. But when your both cheap, AND inefficient in spending, its a deadly combo. Pau gasol for $8 million a year is probably the only real "bang for your buck" free agent signing i recall in their tenure besides the minimum wage guys. Maybe Korver too?

None of those moves you mentioned were really horrific, compare to some of the signings we see today (a max contract for Tobias Harris, Blake Griffin being owed 75 mil over the next 2 years and on and on). Boozer was a useful player, Ben Wallace deal we were able to get out from under, Felicio is a terrible deal but it's not that much money. And Otto Porter's money would not be bad at all if he can get healthy and play the way he was playing last year. This board was almost unanimous in it's praise for that deal, until this season. The NBA is a high stakes game and I'd say the Bulls have gambled a lot less than most other teams, and consequently have been burned much less as well.

No Boozer was a terrible as well as Felicio's deal since these guys never belonged in the NBA in the first place.
He was already past his prime after getting boosted by Deron Williams in Utah.
When the Bulls signed Boozer, I already predicted the potential championship was already over and didnt even look like a consolation prize at all. It was more of a desperation from a garbage franchise that begged crappy players to take their money to save face.
They had to sign someone like Pau that year after failing to acquire Bosh but it was over when they got him and Keith freaking Bogans.

Yep. From day one, Boozer was an awful contract. The team was clearly better with Taj Gibson starting. $15 million was alot in a $65 million cap. I still remember him being taken to school by Tyler frickin Hansbrough in the playoffs. He was untradeable the entire time and it was well known 2 years in advance that his last year was going to be amnestied. Huge waste of money.

Ben wallace, they spent MAX capspace to DOWNGRADE a position. Wallace was traded at the deadline in year 2 of his 4 year deal, for equally garbage contract in Larry Hughes.

[HomoSapien]

None of those moves you mentioned were really horrific, compare to some of the signings we see today (a max contract for Tobias Harris, Blake Griffin being owed 75 mil over the next 2 years and on and on). Boozer was a useful player, Ben Wallace deal we were able to get out from under, Felicio is a terrible deal but it's not that much money. And Otto Porter's money would not be bad at all if he can get healthy and play the way he was playing last year. This board was almost unanimous in it's praise for that deal, until this season. The NBA is a high stakes game and I'd say the Bulls have gambled a lot less than most other teams, and consequently have been burned much less as well.

No Boozer was a terrible as well as Felicio's deal since these guys never belonged in the NBA in the first place.
He was already past his prime after getting boosted by Deron Williams in Utah.
When the Bulls signed Boozer, I already predicted the potential championship was already over and didnt even look like a consolation prize at all. It was more of a desperation from a garbage franchise that begged crappy players to take their money to save face.
They had to sign someone like Pau that year after failing to acquire Bosh but it was over when they got him and Keith freaking Bogans.

Yep. From day one, Boozer was an awful contract. The team was clearly better with Taj Gibson starting. $15 million was alot in a $65 million cap. I still remember him being taken to school by Tyler frickin Hansbrough in the playoffs. He was untradeable the entire time and it was well known 2 years in advance that his last year was going to be amnestied. Huge waste of money.

Ben wallace, they spent MAX capspace to DOWNGRADE a position. Wallace was traded at the deadline in year 2 of his 4 year deal, for equally garbage contract in Larry Hughes.

Letting E'Twaun Moore walk and then offering Felicio the same amount of money the next year was also a big bummer.

[DuckIII]

I absolutely believe the report. From ownership’s perspective this is a total “WTF” season. I’m expecting changes and even though I still consider Paxson a capable executive, I firmly believe the franchise reached the point last season that it’s simply time to try something new.

What I don’t believe will happen is the complete removal of Gar or Pax unless they themselves want a complete cut of ties. I could see both moved to different positions or to a titular position like Collins.

I just don’t see Jerry completely kicking them to the curb. I do, however, think Pax would just walk. He doesn’t need this. But Gar? Who the hell would hire Gar?

[The Explorer]

If you believe KC Johnson's opinions, nothing of significance will happen.

Q: Do you think John Paxson, Gar Forman, and Jim Boylen will be back next year? What needs to happen this year for there to be changes? – Tim G.

A: You can’t do a Bulls mailbag without a fire GarPax question. I do think Paxson and Forman will return, though Forman’s title could change. He’s heavily into scouting now and doing so almost exclusively.

As I’ve written previously in this feature, I can see the Bulls adding to the front office next offseason and bringing in a respected, veteran voice. I can also see them adding to their scouting staff. They’ve actually slowly made changes to the front office over time, adding duties for Brian Hagen and Mike Wilhelm, and bringing on Doug Collins as a consultant.

As for Boylen, his relationship with ownership and management remains very strong, and he just signed an extension. So, yes, I expect him to return. The extension is small enough money-wise that if things became disastrous, that could lead to a scenario where the Bulls move off him. But even though it’s not showing up in the standings, the Bulls have played more competitively since Dec. 1. And management is pleased that Boylen is trying to establish a style of play at both ends, which, for now, is manifesting itself in improved defense.

[dougthonus]

I listen to ESPN 1000 every day during work, and Kap keeps saying today that there will be meaningful change in the front office according to sources close to the team that he knows.

And this time, they won't just hire someone they know. Michael will apparently go outside the org and interview new voices.

Now I guess we can believe it when we see it, but if true that is absolutely GREAT news.

If we're talking about letting go of Gar/Pax, then I just don't buy that Kaplan has this news and no one else does. It's the type of thing you either keep really quiet and no one knows or everyone knows.

If we're talking about bringing in some other voices or consultants outside their normal sphere, then sure, quite possible but that no longer really counts as meaningful change to most of us.

[League Circles]

None of those moves you mentioned were really horrific, compare to some of the signings we see today (a max contract for Tobias Harris, Blake Griffin being owed 75 mil over the next 2 years and on and on). Boozer was a useful player, Ben Wallace deal we were able to get out from under, Felicio is a terrible deal but it's not that much money. And Otto Porter's money would not be bad at all if he can get healthy and play the way he was playing last year. This board was almost unanimous in it's praise for that deal, until this season. The NBA is a high stakes game and I'd say the Bulls have gambled a lot less than most other teams, and consequently have been burned much less as well.

No Boozer was a terrible as well as Felicio's deal since these guys never belonged in the NBA in the first place.
He was already past his prime after getting boosted by Deron Williams in Utah.
When the Bulls signed Boozer, I already predicted the potential championship was already over and didnt even look like a consolation prize at all. It was more of a desperation from a garbage franchise that begged crappy players to take their money to save face.
They had to sign someone like Pau that year after failing to acquire Bosh but it was over when they got him and Keith freaking Bogans.

Yep. From day one, Boozer was an awful contract. The team was clearly better with Taj Gibson starting. $15 million was alot in a $65 million cap. I still remember him being taken to school by Tyler frickin Hansbrough in the playoffs. He was untradeable the entire time and it was well known 2 years in advance that his last year was going to be amnestied. Huge waste of money.

Ben wallace, they spent MAX capspace to DOWNGRADE a position. Wallace was traded at the deadline in year 2 of his 4 year deal, for equally garbage contract in Larry Hughes.

Wallace in year one was easily better than Chandler, though we should have kept Tyson too.

Boozer, flawed as he was, was still a good signing IMO given the alternatives. And I say that as someone who is an unparalleled Taj fan who agrees we were better with him starting (eventually). Boozer helped us go from average to great.