Arturas Karnisovas took the time to give the product a chance. But the 2023-2024 financial year ended with a new fiasco with this clear setback to Miami during the second play-in match, once again depriving Chicago of the playoffs.
After playing for time in the second part of the season, particularly after Zach LaVine's first injury in December, which coincided with the awakening of Billy Donovan's training, the president of the Bulls made his mea culpa. When he spoke to the press, he declared that he wanted to take “full responsibility” of this failure and promises change for this summer.
“I think about victory. That's why I'm here. I'm not here to stay in the soft underbelly. The formula that was put in place three years ago, I thought it would work, until there were a few injuries. We're going to have to find answers this offseason. It is obvious that the results do not live up to our expectations. I understand it perfectly. And it’s up to me to find the solution”, did he declare.
Billy Donovan not concerned
The DeRozan-LaVine-Vucevic trio is obviously in his sights, since the three leaders have failed to take this team to the rank of serious contenders in the Eastern Conference. If the details of his road plan are still vague, with in particular limited room for maneuver in terms of “salary cap”, Arturas Karnisovas would however like to keep his coach, Billy Donovan, and concoct a more qualitative roster for next season. .
“It’s obvious he’s a great leader, a great coach. I need to do a better job of helping him find a group. We insisted on cohesion this year, and I think this group has come together. Again, overall it didn't work. And it’s up to me to find the answers.”
Arturas Karnisovas knows that a summer full of challenges is ahead, for the Bulls but also for him, after repeated failures and a policy of patience which has not borne fruit. What will be its main maneuvers?
Karnisovas' future also at stake
Between Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and DeMar DeRozan, the latter would be the easiest fuse to blow since he is at the end of his contract. But paradoxically, despite his 34 years, it is the player of the trio who gave the most satisfaction, and Karnisovas announced that he wanted to re-sign him. His decision will inevitably have a big impact on the rest of the offseason.
To set up an exchange with Zach LaVine, it would also be necessary to find a volunteer to recover his big contract and bet on a player in fragile health. As for Nikola Vucevic, who will also be 34 years old when the 2024-2025 season resumes, his stock may have dropped on the market compared to his Orlando days, but he is also a regular and a Model teammate.
The mission therefore promises to be challenging for the president of the Illinois franchise, well aware of playing his part in the coming offseason.
“I’m going to look at this whole group. This group did not work. There are a lot of good things in certain players and a lot of young people who have taken a step forward and that's positive. But overall, as a group, it didn't work. So I'm going to have to find answers during the offseason,” he admitted. “I have to do a better job. It's my responsibility. This program is my responsibility. Jerry and Michael (Reinsdorf, owner and president of the franchise) have been very supportive. It is obvious that they expect better results. “That’s why I focused on transforming this program over the offseason.”
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Demar Derozan | 79 | 37.8 | 48.0 | 33.3 | 85.3 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 24.0 |
| Zach Lavine | 25 | 34.9 | 45.2 | 34.9 | 85.4 | 0.3 | 4.8 | 5.2 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 19.5 |
| Coby White | 79 | 36.5 | 44.7 | 37.6 | 83.8 | 0.6 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 19.1 |
| Nikola Vucevic | 76 | 34.3 | 48.4 | 29.4 | 82.2 | 2.8 | 7.8 | 10.5 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 18.0 |
| Javonte Green | 9 | 25.6 | 60.0 | 37.0 | 76.9 | 2.2 | 5.2 | 7.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 12.2 |
| Ayo Dosunmu | 76 | 29.1 | 50.1 | 40.3 | 81.0 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 12.2 |
| Alex Caruso | 71 | 28.7 | 46.8 | 40.8 | 76.0 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 10.1 |
| Patrick Williams | 43 | 27.3 | 44.3 | 39.9 | 78.8 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 3.9 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 10.0 |
| Andrew Drummond | 79 | 17.1 | 55.6 | 0.0 | 59.2 | 3.4 | 5.6 | 9.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 8.4 |
| Torrey Craig | 53 | 19.8 | 43.0 | 39.2 | 75.0 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 5.7 |
| Jevon Carter | 72 | 13.9 | 37.8 | 32.9 | 57.1 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 5.0 |
| Adama Sanogo | 9 | 7.3 | 51.9 | 0.0 | 66.7 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 4.0 |
| Onuralp Bitim | 23 | 11.7 | 38.1 | 27.3 | 80.0 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 3.5 |
| Dalen Terry | 59 | 11.5 | 43.9 | 23.0 | 58.1 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 3.1 |
| Henri Drell | 4 | 7.5 | 40.0 | 33.3 | 50.0 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 2.8 |
| Julian Phillips | 40 | 8.1 | 41.6 | 31.6 | 68.4 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 2.2 |
| Terry Taylor | 31 | 6.1 | 51.3 | 22.2 | 80.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 1.5 |
| Andrew Funk | 5 | 2.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
