The Bulls haven’t won a playoff series since 2015.
They haven’t had a No. 1 overall draft pick since hitting on Derrick Rose in 2008.
The last time they even had a winning record was in 2021-22, when they went 46-36. It was the only time in the last decade they posted a better-than-.500 record.
So Bryson Graham has a lot of work to do.
After firing executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley last month, the Bulls began rebuilding the front office by landing Graham — most recently the Hawks’ senior VP of basketball operations — in somewhat of a surprising move.
The momentum in the last few weeks seemed to be tilting toward Timberwolves GM — and former do-everything Bulls employee — Matt Lloyd, but Graham reportedly stole the show in the in-person interview process and got the job Monday.
One Bulls source stressed it had less to do with what the other candidates were lacking and more to do with how Graham wowed the hiring group throughout the process. The same source said that Graham has full autonomy to build out the front office how he sees fit and that finances won’t be an obstacle.
Naming Graham executive VP of basketball operations is only the first step.
‘‘Bryson is an elite talent evaluator who has earned tremendous respect across the league, and that stood out immediately during our process,’’ Bulls president Michael Reinsdorf said in a statement. ‘‘He has worked his way up through basketball operations from the ground level, and that experience has given him a deep understanding of how to build and sustain a successful organization.
‘‘He is an effective communicator, a disciplined and thoughtful decision-maker and someone who truly connects with players and people. He understands today’s league, today’s players and what it takes to develop talent and build a winning culture. Just as important, Bryson is committed to building a high-level group around him. He knows what he does well, and he is focused on surrounding that with strong leadership across strategy, scouting and player development. This is an important step for our organization. We know there is work ahead, but we are confident in Bryson’s ability to lead, build and move us forward.’’
Graham comes to the Bulls on a bit of a hot streak as far as front offices go. During his time with the Hawks, he completely overhauled the front office and its philosophy.
‘‘I am incredibly honored to join the Chicago Bulls organization,’’ Graham said in a statement. ‘‘This is one of the most storied franchises in the history of professional basketball, and I feel a tremendous sense of responsibility to deliver results for this city and these fans. My entire career has been built on the belief that sustained success starts with finding the right players and developing an all-around impactful culture. I want to thank Jerry and Michael Reinsdorf and the entire Bulls organization for presenting me with this opportunity. I am ready to get to work.’’
The good news for Graham is that he will inherit an organization that might feel broken but actually has a lot of solid parts and a foundation that could be built up quickly.
Forward Matas Buzelis appears to be a rising star, and guard Josh Giddey has shown flashes of being a solid piece. Graham also will have two picks among the top 15 of a loaded NBA Draft next month and, perhaps most important, has a league-high $58 million in salary-cap space this summer.
