Marc Eversley is expected to officially start his first day on the job as new Bulls general manager on Friday.
It’s a job he actually started preparing for well over a decade ago.
Whether it was learning the hustle and grind of working for Nike or quickly showing an eye for identifying talent with the Toronto Raptors, Eversley had the make-up of a GM long before new Bulls head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas decided earlier this week that Eversley would sit in that seat next to him.
But the former 76ers executive won’t be able to just ease into his new position.
The uncertainty of what the NBA league office will do with the remainder of the season in the wake of the coronavirus shutdown looms over some of the decision making, but this Bulls front office restructure isn’t close to over.
Karnisovas, and now Eversley, still have to finish building out departments, adding depth in each of those departments, scout out their own roster, start identifying potential free agents and trade targets, prepare for the NBA draft, and of course make the all-important decision on the current coaching staff.
It’s that last item on the to-do list that has a majority of the attention from the Bulls fan base. Maybe all of it.
Current head coach Jim Boylen has never come close to endearing himself to the fans.
Not that Boylen cares much, but this wasn’t a guy that came onto the job quietly, looking to keep calm waters.
And while he has publicly stated his case for returning — specifically carrying out the orders from the old regime of establishing a defensive identity with the current roster — this is a win-loss business. Whatever opinions are out there of Boylen, a 39-84 (.317) record since taking over from Fred Hoiberg is the black eye Boylen can’t make disappear with cover-up.
A source told the Sun-Times earlier this week that Eversley still has good relations with the Raptors organization he came up with, and that’s why assistant coach Adrian Griffin’s name continues popping up as a potential Boylen replacement.
Griffin was an assistant under former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, has a great understanding of defense as well as player relationships, and is coming off a championship season as a member of the Raptors coaching staff.
Add that Karnisovas played with Griffin back in their Seton Hall days, and the ringing endorsements Griffin has been getting league-wide the last few seasons as a head coach candidate, Boylen’s days on the job could be numbered.
The Sun-Times, as well as several other media outlets, have reported that sources close to Boylen paint the picture of a guy that expects to be back as coach for next season, however.
It would make sense he feels that way, considering the strong relationship Boylen has built with both Michael and Jerry Reinsdorf.
But as the firing of former GM Gar Forman two weeks ago showed, this is not necessarily just a Reinsdorf production. Michael Reinsdorf admitted that he and his father have the final stamp on decisions, but he also said that good ownership moves out of the way and allows basketball people to make basketball decisions.
There’s been a lot of dysfunction going on behind the curtains throughout the organization the last few seasons, and Karnisovas’ clean-up — along with Eversley — will likely include the coaching offices, no matter how confident Boylen feels.
