Bulls execs Gar Forman, John Paxson's jobs safe this summer

Bulls execs Gar Forman, John Paxson's jobs safe this summer

Despite all the drama that has surrounded the Chicago Bulls this season, vice president John Paxson and general manager Gar Forman are in no danger of losing their jobs, according to the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson. The Bulls are seventh in the Eastern Conference with a 26-26 record, and even if they miss the playoffs, ownership would reportedly not consider a change in leadership.

 

From the Chicago Tribune:

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.

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 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.

Let's address this point by point:

• To a significant segment of Bulls fans, this news will be upsetting. After Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade ranted about their younger teammates and Rajon Rondo took an opposing point of view, both Blog-a-Bull's Ricky O'Donnell and the Chicago Tribune's Steve Rosenbloom argued that Forman and Paxson had to go. Rosenbloom made his argument again on Tuesday. Chicago fans are frustrated not just because the team is mediocre, but because this result was predictable, as were the chemistry problems.
 
• The weirdest part of this report is the idea that people in the organization believe "Forman's publicly stated goal to remain competitive while overhauling the roster over several seasons to get younger and more athletic is working." Forman indeed pledged to get younger and more athletic after trading Derrick Rose last summer, but then they signed Rondo and traded for Wade. Chicago is one of the least athletic teams in the league, and its young players have shown only flashes of competence. To trust in Forman and Paxson's ability to turn this around is one thing; to say that anything happening now is "working" is another.
 
• The last point about the front office's talent evaluation and clean cap sheet is valid. Selecting Butler with the No. 30 pick is one of the all-time NBA Draft steals, and signing him to a long-term contract under the old collective bargaining agreement gives them flexibility. Wade could opt out of his contract this summer, and the team can cut Rondo and only owe him $3 million next season. Center Robin Lopez will be making $14.4 million in 2018-19, but that's fair value and he could be moved if the Bulls decide they want to blow everything up.
 
• If Forman and Paxson are staying, then the big question is where they go from here. Johnson's story acknowledged that Chicago's front office could revive its internal debate about whether Butler should remain the face of the franchise. He is the best player the Bulls have employed since Michael Jordan retired, yet his name keeps popping up in trade rumors. No one knows what they will do, especially after they said one thing and did another last summer.