(670 The Score) As the Bulls remain stuck in the middle and seemingly more committed than ever to that state of mind, Thursday cemented in emphatic fashion what many already knew or surmised.
Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and the Reinsdorf family are a perfect match for one another.
That’s because all members of the Bulls’ leadership triumvirate continue to prioritize a sad state of minimal relevancy over achieving greatness. Karnisovas reminded us of that time and again in a 22-minute Zoom session with reporters Thursday afternoon after the Bulls failed to make a move at the trade deadline for the third time in as many years.
On more than a dozen occasions, Karnisovas referenced his burning desire to remain competitive while explaining his line of thinking and decisions. He was unwilling to let his Bulls, who sit at 24-27 and ninth in the East, take even a minimal step backward, let alone a significant one.
Karnisovas made that clear while also confirming that chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and CEO Michael Reinsdorf have given him the green light to build the team and establish a path as he sees fit. That Karnisovas just so happened to choose the path that would currently give the Bulls one home game in the play-in tournament and then perhaps a couple more in a first-round series seemed fitting.
The extra money will roll in, because it always does, and that will please the Reinsdorfs. At the same time, keeping expectations relatively low – simply reaching the playoffs in a league that sends 53.3% of its teams there and being competitive once there – helps ensure the Bulls won’t reach a higher tier in which they feel obligated to pay the luxury tax for a true championship contender.
And boy, did Karnisovas lean into the virtue of competitiveness, even if he was sharing a message that no one besides ownership cared to hear.
“We would take a step back (in the proposed trades Thursday), which we don’t want,” Karnisovas said. “We want to stay competitive. We have an obligation to this organization and this fan base and this city to stay competitive and compete for the playoffs.”
Within that comment lies two layers of confusion. First off, Karnisovas’ definition of “competitive” is to reach the playoffs – and then not get embarrassed. Perhaps he also believes that means reaching the second round of the playoffs, as he has previously cited that as a goal.
Meanwhile, that isn’t the definition of “competitive” in the eyes of most Bulls fans and others across the NBA. It usually means competing for a championship or at least taking meaningful steps toward getting there. Reaching the second round with a capped-out team that has an aging core wouldn’t be a meaningful step toward title contention.
Beyond that, Karnisovas is misguided in what his obligation is. If Bulls ownership has given him the freedom to make roster changes as he sees fit and the fan base isn’t clamoring for a .500 team, he has no obligation to compete in the manner he continually references. To the contrary, his obligation in every move would be to do what’s best for the long-term health of the organization.
The two moves the Bulls should’ve absolutely made Thursday were trades of veteran guard Alex Caruso and reserve center Andre Drummond. The defensive wizard Caruso is under contract through 2024-’25 and is pretty healthy right now by his standards. In other words, his trade value is the highest it ever will be, as a contender could’ve landed his services for two playoff pushes while he remains on a team-friendly contract. By retaining him, the Bulls risk getting less for him in a trade when they inevitably have another middling season in 2024-‘25 – or perhaps nothing of significance if he gets injured.
Earlier Thursday, ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski surmised the Bulls could’ve perhaps gotten two first-round picks (surely protected to some degree) in a trade of Caruso. Even if they hadn’t, one first-round pick and an unproven young player who could be in the Bulls’ rotation would’ve been a fair return for Caruso and helped Chicago’s long-term outlook. The Bulls asked the Warriors for forward Jonathan Kuminga but were rebuffed, according to NBC Sports Chicago. Asking the Warriors about Kuminga was wise, but after that, the Bulls should’ve lowered their price a bit.
Drummond remaining in Chicago was even more baffling. He’s having a good season, but veteran backup centers playing well on expiring contracts are like good relievers on below-.500 baseball teams. You trade them at the deadline, because that’s how sports economics work. Even if all the Bulls could’ve gotten for Drummond was one second-round pick, he should’ve been moved. That would represent one future swing at a Julian Phillips-type prospect.
Trading veteran forward DeMar DeRozan was an option too, and I would’ve tried to do it, but I can also view his situation through another lens. He’s a beloved teammate and good leader with a terrific work ethic – and just the type of player who can do a lot to keep a team competitive. If the Bulls couldn’t land a first-round pick for DeRozan, I can certainly understand hanging on to him and having him help establish a floor while continuing to be a key mentor for younger players. DeRozan goes a long way to making sure a team isn't a mess, and that does seem to be one of the goals here.
To me, the disconnect in all this comes in Karnisovas’ one-track mind for how to compete. For some reason, he believes the only way to be competitive right now is to continue relying on his current core and the veterans in it. They’re all crucial in his mind to achieving the stated goal, every single one of them. I just can’t accept that as truth.
Trading Caruso would certainly be a step backward, but the back half of the East is so bad that the Bulls still could’ve landed a play-in berth if they’d moved the heart and soul of their team. Perhaps they still could’ve got their youngsters the experience of playing in a win-or-go-home game, and though it would be harder to reach the traditional eight-team bracket, the hope wouldn’t be totally extinguished. Even if the Bulls missed the play-in altogether, the trade return would’ve outweighed the missed the opportunity.
At one point in his comments Thursday, Karnisovas noted that “a shakeup doesn’t guarantee you success.” The counterpoint would be this – staying the course with a team that’s struggled to even be .500 almost certainly guarantees you won’t achieve success.
That is, unless your definition of it differs from everyone else’s. That’s the case for Karnisovas, the Reinsdorfs and the Bulls.
Cody Westerlund is an editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund .
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