Friday, October 3, 2025

Karnišovas’ Vague Presser Focuses On Free Agency And Development

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Introduction to the Press Conference

The ever elusive Artūras Karnišovas appeared for his end-of-year press conference with the Chicago Bulls Thursday. After 20 minutes of questions, he left fans and media members as confused as they were this time last year on the direction of one of basketball’s most storied franchises.

"I want to go back to last year, this time, sitting in front of you and talking about making changes and making difficult decisions, and we made a bunch of them," Karnišovas said in his opening statement. "We traded Alex [Caruso], DeMar [DeRozan] and at the trade deadline, we moved Zach [LaVine]. All those changes were basically in order to accomplish four goals."

Four Goals for the Bulls

Those four goals were to define their style of play and the Bulls’ shooting profile, retain their 2025 first-round pick and other picks moving forward, target young players and how they’re going to build the roster, then focus on the internal development of the young players they identified, according to Karnisovas.

Playing Style and Shooting Profile

Chicago identified their playing style—fast—and their shooting profile—attack the rim and heave from deep, while finding opportunities to attack the mid-range from inside the free-throw circle. The Bulls had the second-highest pace of play this year (102.83) behind the Memphis Grizzlies (103.26), while finishing at or above league average in 3-point shooting from the left wing to the right corner, field goal percentage at the rim, and far above league average on short mid-rangers from 12-15 feet straightaway from the basket.

Retaining Draft Picks

In a roundabout way of doing it, Chicago got their 2025 first-round pick back in the three-team trade that sent Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings. The Bulls originally sent that pick to the San Antonio Spurs when they acquired DeMar DeRozan in 2021.

Young Players and Roster Development

Chicago also identified players like Josh Giddey, who they acquired in the Alex Caruso trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder last June, and Matas Buzelis, who they took with the 11th overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft. And to those young players’ credit—Coby White, Giddey and Buzelis among the most notable—their play did improve drastically down the stretch of the regular season, even if it saw the Bulls finish the season in the same sub-.500 purgatory that has become the norm.

End of Season Performance

Chicago went 15-5 over their final 20 games to surge back into the fringe of the NBA playoff picture by year’s end. Giddey averaged 21.0 points, 10.3 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game while posting shooting splits of 50/47.1/80.5 during that 20-game stretch. "[Giddey] found that niche. He found, you know, belief in himself. This group, they found another gear," Karnišovas said. "That would be Coby, Josh, even Matas with his new role so, I think [Giddey] fits really well here and I hope to see him here for years to come."

Player Progression

White was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month in March after he tallied 27.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 35.3 minutes across 15 games. "Coby’s progression every year has been unbelievable. he always found another level," Karnišovas said. "After the All-Star weekend, he improved his scoring average by six. He was player of the month. He found his voice with this group." Buzelis averaged 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 blocks in 31 consecutive starts to end the regular season, which included a 31-point performance on 12/18 shooting in a 31-point win over the Los Angeles Lakers in LA back on March 27.

Offseason Plans

It’s a nauseating cycle that Karnišovas and crew seem to rinse and repeat every year in the Windy City, and Thursday, he said little to assuage concerns they would finish next season anywhere else but in near-identical fashion. "Obviously, everyone is disappointed, the way we played the last month and a half, to finish like that," Karnišovas said of their play-in loss to Miami. "Nobody wanted that. Players, coaches and the front office are disappointed to go out this way. However, we’re going to focus the next two month on how we can improve this roster. We’re going to prepare for the 2025 draft, and then free agency, and going into the 2026 season, how we can be better getting to the summer of 2026 [with] financial flexibility. I think we can improve our roster that way as well."

Free Agency and Financial Flexibility

That’s where things get tricky though. Karnišovas said he wants to pursue a premier free agent this offseason, but there are variables in the equation that could make that tougher to achieve than previously imagined. On top of that, Karnišovas asked fans to be patient, given it will take time for the franchise to sort through those factors this offseason. "I am asking for fans of patience because we are in the first year of that transition," Karnišovas said. "I thought the way we finished the year shows some promise. It’s hard to win games in this league and to finish 15-5, yeah, it’s not a victory lap, but I think there’s some positives."

Cap Space and Potential Signings

On the surface, the Bulls are heading toward this offseason as a Top 5 team in cap space across the entire NBA. According to Spotrac, Chicago is projected to be $59.8 million below the first luxury-tax apron, and $71.6 million below the second luxury tax apron, meaning they could have the financial flexibility to pursue a premier player this offseason. But that’s without factoring in potential new deals for Giddey and White, as well as the status of this year’s free agency class.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Chicago Bulls’ end-of-year press conference left more questions than answers. While the team showed promise at the end of the season, their inability to make a deep playoff run is a concern. The Bulls have a lot of work to do in the offseason to improve their roster and make a push for the playoffs. With financial flexibility and a young core, the future looks bright, but it’s hard to predict what the team will look like next season.

FAQs

Q: What were the four goals that Karnišovas mentioned in his press conference?
A: The four goals were to define their style of play and the Bulls’ shooting profile, retain their 2025 first-round pick and other picks moving forward, target young players and how they’re going to build the roster, then focus on the internal development of the young players they identified.
Q: Who are some of the young players that the Bulls have identified as key pieces to their roster?
A: Some of the young players that the Bulls have identified as key pieces to their roster include Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, and Coby White.
Q: What is the Bulls’ current cap space situation?
A: The Bulls are projected to be $59.8 million below the first luxury-tax apron, and $71.6 million below the second luxury tax apron, meaning they could have the financial flexibility to pursue a premier player this offseason.
Q: Who are some potential free agents that the Bulls could target in the offseason?
A: Some potential free agents that the Bulls could target in the offseason include Malcolm Brogdon, D’Angelo Russell, Brook Lopez, Clint Capela, Myles Turner, and Steven Adams.

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