Chicago Bulls Fire Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley in Major Front Office Shakeup
The Chicago Bulls are cleaning house. In a decisive move to pivot the franchise’s trajectory, the team announced on Monday, April 6, 2026, that they have fired Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Artūras Karnišovas and General Manager Marc Eversley, effective immediately.
The shakeup comes with less than a week remaining in the 2025-26 NBA season, signaling a total reset for a front office that struggled to translate early promise into sustained postseason success. The decision was handed down by Bulls CEO and President Michael Reinsdorf, who cited a need to move in a new direction to build a team capable of contending for championships.
A Legacy of Underperformance
Since Karnišovas and Eversley took the helm in 2020, the Bulls have struggled to maintain consistency. Over six seasons, the team posted a regular-season record of 224-254. While the duo initially built a competitive roster around Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vučević—which saw the team climb to the top of the Eastern Conference in early 2022—that success proved fleeting.
The statistical breakdown of the “AKME” era highlights a pattern of missed opportunities:
- Playoff Drought: The Bulls missed the playoffs in five of the six seasons under this leadership.
- Limited Postseason Impact: The team made only one playoff appearance (2022) and won just a single playoff game during their tenures.
- Current Decline: The 2025-26 season has been the lowest point, with the team currently sitting at 29-49 and 12th in the Eastern Conference.
When the current season officially concludes on April 12, it will mark the fourth consecutive year the Bulls have missed the playoffs and the first time in three years they have failed to even secure a Play-In Tournament berth.
The Jaden Ivey Controversy
The timing of the firings follows a period of significant turmoil. Just one week prior to the front office purge, the Bulls waived guard Jaden Ivey. Karnišovas had acquired the former top-five pick from the Detroit Pistons at the February trade deadline as part of a strategy to gather refurbished lottery talent.
Still, Ivey was released after a series of Instagram livestreams in which he made inflammatory comments regarding his religious beliefs and criticized the NBA’s advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community. This public relations crisis added further pressure to a front office already under fire for the team’s on-court struggles.
Reinsdorf’s Message to the Fans
In an official statement, Michael Reinsdorf acknowledged the deep frustration felt by the Chicago fanbase. “I want our fans to know that I hear you and understand the frustration. I feel it as well,” Reinsdorf stated. He emphasized that the move is about “positioning our team for sustained success moving ahead” and expressed a commitment to getting the rebuild right, even if it takes time.
Key Takeaways: The Bulls Front Office Reset
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Executives Fired | Artūras Karnišovas (EVP) & Marc Eversley (GM) |
| Overall Record | 224-254 (since 2020) |
| Playoff Success | 1 appearance, 1 game won |
| Current Standing | 29-49 (12th in East) |
As the Bulls prepare to close out their worst winning percentage season since 2019-20, the focus now shifts to who will lead the basketball operations. The franchise is now tasked with finding leadership that can move past the stagnation of the last six years and return the team to elite status in the Eastern Conference.