Getty Damian Lillard
With great success comes admiration and separation caused by advancement. If the Chicago Bulls continue on their current path, we’ll see it happen to the organization on multiple levels.
The Bulls Could Lose Marc Eversley to the Trail Blazers
According to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, the Portland Trail Blazers could emerge as a major threat to break up the Arturas Karnisovas/Marc Eversley front office team with the Bulls. Pincus says many believe Eversley is the favorite for the Blazers’ GM opening.
“The Trail Blazers recently fired top basketball executive Neil Olshey, naming Joe Cronin as the interim general manager,” Pincus explained. “While other teams recognize that Cronin has the authority to make deals before the deadline, some question how much power he has.”
If this is true and Olshey doesn’t have full reign of his current role, it puts the Blazers in something of a holding pattern and based on where they are as a franchise, that’s not ideal.
“One source noted that he probably has the leeway to trade role players like Robert Covington or Jusuf Nurkic but probably can’t deal Damian Lillard,” Pincus added. “What about CJ McCollum? Can Cronin take in significant salary in a deal that further ties up the team’s books for years to come? Or will the Blazers wait to hire a long-term general manager first to make the more significant decisions? Cronin is undoubtedly a candidate for that position, but several sources have Chicago Bulls executive Marc Eversley as a favorite.”
Many Bulls fans will gasp at the notion of breaking up such an effective front office duo after just two seasons. However, if you’re looking at it from Eversley’s point of view, a role with greater responsibility likely means more money and recognition if he can be the primary guy pulling the player and coaching personnel strings. The good news for Bulls fans–according to Pincus–is that Eversley isn’t the only name reportedly on the Blazers’ radar to be their next general manager.
“Another is believed to be Shareef Abdur-Rahim, president of the G League,” Pincus wrote. “Abdur-Rahim has the same agent (Aaron Goodwin of Goodwin Sports) as Lillard. Allison Feaster, the vice president of player and organizational development with the Celtics, recently surfaced as a possible fit as Portland’s head of basketball operations.”
Portland Will Have Multiple Options
To put it plainly, the Blazers seemingly have options, but if the Bulls continue to lead the Eastern Conference standings as they are at the start of 2022, will there be a more attractive candidate?
Quite honestly, Abdur-Rahim’s link to Lillard through their agent might not be a major factor in his favor. Portland might well be prepared to trade Lillard. The 31-year-old veteran’s name has been in trade speculation and rumors since the offseason.
If Portland is ready to use him as a means to jumpstart a rebuild, who knows if the team would be as attractive to Abdur-Rahim, who is extremely respected in the NBA. He will have other opportunities to be a general manager and the Portland job might not float his boat.
In any case, Eversley’s ascension and departure from Chicago is seemingly inevitable, but the Bulls would be fortunate if he could remain with Karnisovas for perhaps another year.
Chicago’s front office finally has a look of competence and stability. It may need to maintain this profile for at least another season to restore the reputation of the organization throughout the league with potential free agents and others.
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