How Bad are NBA GMs? Ep. 5 - Chicago Bulls
In this series I will be breaking down every impactful transaction in the NBA to better understand the performance of the average NBA GM. Since the vast majority of decisions made by GMs cannot be proven to be good or bad immediately, we will start in the year 2018. Weight = how impactful the action is/was for the franchise. Rating = quantifying the decision in hindsight from 1-10, 10 being excellent and 1 being terrible.
GM - Gar Forman (2009-2020)
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| Credit: Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images |
After 2 seasons of 41 and 42 wins, the Bulls were in the clutches of NBA mediocrity. With a record of 13-24 to greet the new year and their best player a toss up between Jerian Grant and Justin Holiday, Chicago was poised for a solid tank year and a high lottery pick.
Feb 1 2018 Omer Asik, C Traded to Chicago (CHI) from New Orleans (NOP) with 2018 1st round pick, Tony Allen and Jameer Nelson for Nikola Mirotic
Forman shipped a serviceable starter (Mirotic) for a 1st rounder and the right to pay Omer Asik $25m over the next 3 years. New Orleans also managed to get rid of a couple un-useable players in the deal (Nelson, Allen). The Pelicans were 27-23 at the time, looking to a make some noise in the West. Mirotic would play well for them, and they'd go on to sweep Portland in round 1 before losing to GSW in round 2.
The pick would end up being #22 in the draft. While Mirotic was by no means a world-beater, he was not bad. Paying for Asik's bad deal can be justified by the fact that the Bulls were not yet close to competing. However, Forman absolutely should have gotten much more than just a late 1st round pick out of this deal.
Weight: 70% Rating: 3/10
Jun 21 2018 Wendell Carter Jr., C Drafted by Chicago (CHI): Round 1 (#7 overall)
Carter has improved every year, and while he doesn't play for the Bulls anymore, seems on pace to put up acceptable starter-level production in '21-'22. With that said, Mikal Bridges, Michael Porter Jr, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were available.
Weight: 90% Rating: 4/10
Jun 21 2018 Chandler Hutchison, SF Drafted by Chicago (CHI): Round 1 (#22 overall)
At this point it does not appear Hutchison will ever become more than a mid-level rotational guy. There were about 10 better choices available.
Weight: 60% Rating: 3/10
Jul 7 2018 Jerian Grant, PG Traded to Orlando (ORL) from Chicago (CHI) as part of a 3-team trade: Orlando (ORL) traded Bismack Biyombo and 2019 2nd round pick to Charlotte (CHA); Charlotte (CHA) traded Julyan Stone to Chicago (CHI); Charlotte (CHA) traded Timofey Mozgov and 2020 2nd round pick to Orlando (ORL)
This reportedly was a cap move, but Grant was only making $2.7m and the Bulls had plenty of space. Stone would be waived shortly thereafter.
Weight: 20% Rating: 2/10
Jul 8 2018 Zach LaVine, SG Signed a 4 year $78 million contract with Chicago (CHI) - matched Sacramento (SAC) Offer Sheet
OK. So $19.5m/year for Lavine. That's on the low end of what teams typical pay their 2nd-best player ($23m). At this point in his career, Lavine had done nothing to suggest he deserved a starting role. Sports Illustrated would give the Bulls at D+ grade on the deal at the time. The next 3 years he would be the 2nd-best player on the Bulls in terms of WAR (Porter Jr, Dunn, Young would be 1st, respectively) on bad teams. Lavine blossomed into a mid-level starter last year and showed signs of high-level production on the international stage over the summer. It also must be taken into account who else was available at the time. It probably wasn't appropriate for Forman to go after Chris Paul, LeBron, or Paul George given the state of the franchise... but Fred VanVleet and Julius Randle were signed for $9m/year during this period and Nerlens Noel signed for pennies. We would be remiss not to take into account the fact that Lavine was likely instrumental in the recent free-agency splashes the Bulls have made in 2021.
Weight: 90% Rating: 7/10
Jul 14 2018 Jabari Parker, PF Signed a 1 year $20 million contract with Chicago (CHI) - includes Year 2 Club Option
Definitely not deserving of anywhere close to $20m/year, Parker would not play a minute for the Bulls.
Weight: 70% Rating: 1/10
Jul 19 2018 Antonio Blakeney, SG Signed a 2 year $2.9 million contract with Chicago (CHI)
He aint it.
Weight: 10% Rating: 1/10
Jul 31 2018 Ryan Arcidiacono, PG Signed a 1 year contract with Chicago (CHI)
Minimum deal for an actually decent player.
Weight: 20% Rating: 8/10
Oct 21 2018 Shaquille Harrison, PG Signed a 2 year $2.9 million contract with Chicago (CHI)
Don't sleep on Shaq! He would contribute very solid production for the Bulls to the tune of 4.3 WAR over the next 2 seasons.
Weight: 20% Rating: 10/10
Oct 30 2018 Kris Dunn, PG Chicago (CHI) exercised $5.35 million team option for 2019-20
Dunn wouldn't be great the following season, but he would just about earn his $5.4. The next year, however, he would be excellent.
Weight: 30% Rating: 8/10
Oct 30 2018 Lauri Markkanen, PF Chicago (CHI) exercised $5.3 million team option for 2019-20
Obvious move to extend the former #7 overall pick. Markkenen would have a solid '18-'19 campaign, followed by not as great year.
Weight: 30% Rating: 6/10
Oct 30 2018 Denzel Valentine, SG Chicago (CHI) exercised $3.38 million option for 2019-20
Valentine would put up solid rotational numbers the following season, and even butter production the next year.
Weight: 20% Rating: 8/10
Dec 3 2018 Jim Boylen, COACH Named as head coach with Chicago (CHI)
His 2nd stint with the team, Boylen would go 39-84 before getting fired. The talent on the roster was lacking, but not that bad.
Weight: 90% Rating: 1/10
Conclusions:
Chicago fans should be very grateful that Gar Forman is no longer the team's GM. At the same time the question must be asked, "How was this man not fired sooner?".
Total Impactful Decisions: 13
Weighted Average Transaction Rating: 4.1/10 Ranked #5 (out of 5)
Big Decision (70%+) Average: 3.2/10 Ranked #5 (out of 5)
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