Bulls Authorize Interviews With Five Front‑Office Candidates and CAA Agent for Basketball Operations Chief

TL;DR: The Chicago Bulls have permission to interview five NBA front‑office executives and CAA agent Austin Brown for the vacant head of basketball operations job, with talks starting this week and a target hire before or after the mid‑May draft combine. Ownership insists any new hire must fully back head coach Billy Donovan, a Hall of Fame coach with college titles and playoff runs in Oklahoma City.

Context The Bulls dismissed executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley on April 6 after six seasons that produced just one playoff appearance. The move ended a tenure marked by limited postseason success and prompted ownership to seek a new decision‑maker who can align the front office with the coaching staff.

Key Facts The cleared interview list includes Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd, Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lindsey, Hawks senior vice president Bryson Graham, Cavaliers GM Mike Gansey, and Spurs assistant GM Dave Telep. The Bulls will also speak with Austin Brown, co‑head of CAA’s basketball division and a Chicago‑native agent who represents players such as Donovan Mitchell and Trae Young. CEO Michael Reinsdorf stated that any candidate must be “sold on Billy,” referencing Donovan’s college championships and playoff success with Oklahoma City.

What It Means By tying the basketball operations hire to Donovan’s continued presence, the Bulls aim to create a unified voice between roster construction and on‑court strategy. The candidate pool blends experienced team executives with a prominent agent, suggesting the franchise may weigh both traditional front‑office expertise and player‑relationship depth. The upcoming interviews will reveal which profile ownership prefers and how quickly a new leader can influence draft preparations and free‑agency plans.

Watch for the interview outcomes this week and the eventual hiring decision, which could shape the Bulls’ approach to the mid‑May draft combine and the subsequent offseason.