Former Bulls champion and journeyman guard John Paxson was named VP of Basketball Ops for the Chicago Bulls in 2003. He went from working radio straight to the front office. He took over a disjointed (putting it mildly) but talented roster and actually righted the ship in the beginning. 2nd overall pick Jay Williams, Jalen Rose, Marcus Fizer, Jamal Crawford, Donyell Marshall, Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry and Trenton Hassell formed an exciting young nucleus. Unfortunately for Paxson it was over before it was even started. Injuries and inconsistency plagued that season which led to Jay Williams in a motorcycle accident and a total roster overhaul. Jay Williams would never play in the NBA again.

Gar Forman became the Bulls general manager in 2009. That summer he drafted James Johnson 16th overall and Taj Gibson. Taj was a bright spot for the Bulls making NBA First Team All-Rookie. As for James Johnson, he was sent down to the Bulls G-League team and was traded the next season. The Bulls struggled throughout the year, but decided to shake things up the only way they knew how. You guessed it: Roster overhaul! Former (failed) 1st round pick Tyrus Thomas was traded and John Salmons was traded. They made the playoffs by the skin of their teeth and lost in the first round. James Johnson eventually turned into a solid and versatile pro and averaged 12 points for a Miami team this year that had the fourth best record in the East.

It gives me great joy to say that both men got let go from their positions earlier this week. Paxson was relieved of his VP position but will stay with the team as Senior Advisor of Basketball Operations. Forman was given his papers and told to get the hell out. He will not be returning to the Bulls. I doubt if he gets another job in the NBA as a GM but then again he’s a white man with a pulse and a lot of money. Arturas Karnisovas will take over the VP of Basketball Ops and his resume is damn impressive. He’ll need to get right to work and hire a new GM. I’ll do my research and give y’all an Arturas Karnisovas feature later in the week. Sneak preview: I really like him.

Real Bulls fans know it wasn’t just John Paxson that failed to deliver a championship to Chicago. Forman didn’t act alone in keeping the Bulls from the mountain top. It was the dreaded combination of the two, affectionately known as “GarPax” that would sink the Bulls for over a decade. When those two bumped fists and joined forces, Bulls nation was a witness to truly horrible team building. A decade plus of ineptitude, failure, carelessness, frugalness, and most of all just shitty basketball management. They had success. I want to make that clear. When Gar Forman took over in 2009 the Bulls were a mediocre team. Starting in 2010 the Bulls went 255-139. After a five-year run of going 205-205 from 2005-2010. Forman was good at his job. I will admit that for the most part he drafted well. He could spot talent. He just sucked at BU apart of the same organization as the best basketball player to ever grace the planet should serve as a bargaining chip to bring in high level free agents. That just hasn’t happened and in my mind that points to the front office.

As I was watching “The Last Dance” documentary it dawned on me that the dysfunction in the Bulls front office started long before I was even alive. Jerry Krause was the GM of the Bulls in 84. When you draft a transcendent player like Michael Jordan, expectations for your organization immediately change. But also when you draft the G.O.A.T., I would imagine that could go to ones head. A person could develop a certain swagger or cockiness if it’s negative. I’m not into shaming people on my blog but let’s call a spade a spade. Jerry Krause was 5”10”. He was ugly. He was white. And most importantly he was rich. Once he started to climb to the top of his profession and sustain success, I’m 100% positive that it went to his head. This is the same man that in one way or another said organizations win championships. That comment offended Jordan and once you offend Jordan that’s when you know you’ve fucked up. Jordan should’ve never left the Bulls. He was destined to be like Kobe or Jeter.

Fast forward a decade later and that sour taste still remains around the Bulls today. Players around the league do not respect the Bulls as one of the top landing spots to play. It wasn’t that long ago when all-star talent did want to go there. Actually right at the beginning of Forman’s tenure as GM in 2009. The stars aligned for the Bulls again when they landed Derrick Rose. They also drafted Loul Deng and Joakim Noah. A couple years later Rose wins an MVP. Free agent signing Carlos Boozer was a big part of that. The year Rose won MVP, Boozer averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds and the Bulls had the best record in the league. Now that didn’t result in a championship, but the Boozer signing was big for the Bulls to form a complete team. In the end they decided to blow it up and started over. They acquired Pau Gasol who was another big name free agent that signed for $22.3 million in 2014. That happened to be the same year Jimmy Butler came into his own as a player. Butler and Gasol were both All-Stars that season. That formula didn’t work either and the Bulls were on a quest to restart again. So they traded Jimmy Butler. A player they drafted and developed in their own gym. He was their best player and a three-time All-Star at the time. Since that Jimmy Butler trade the Bulls traded all their credibility and competitiveness with it.

It’s simple. Michael Jordan created a legacy for the Bulls that should have carried the franchise forever. In my mind that team is the Lakers. Kobe Bryant’s impact on that franchise and that city will always be felt. Players will always want to come play for the Lakers because (well it’s LA) Kobe Bryant set a standard of greatness that any player would want to stride towards. You want to win championships. It’s about winning the ring. Kobe’s relationship with the Lakers wasn’t perfect. He demanded a trade. But they worked it out. They did right by him. If the Bulls had treated their great players like that, I wouldn’t be writing this article right now. Because the Bulls would be the most profitable and recognizable franchise in the world. No one would be upset. They could’ve been the Yankees. Instead they rebuild every 5 years instead of retooling. That’s not what Jordan would’ve stood for. Hopefully with this new regime having zero ties to Jerry Krause or anyone in the Bulls organization can start to have pride in their team again.

Worst Moves of GarPax Era

The Bulls traded away two first-round picks (Jusuf Nurkic and Gary Harris) in the 2014 draft for Doug McDermott. Both Nurkic and Harris have become good NBA players and were by NBA terms considerably younger. Nurkic was averaging 15 and 10 before his latest injury. He’s still only 24. Gary Harris averaged 10 points for a deep and talented Nuggets team and averaged 12 points a game for his career. He’s only 25. McDermott, 28, has bounced around the league with five teams and averages 8 points a game for his career.

The Bulls traded All-Star Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Zach Lavine, Kris Dunn and future 1st round pick that would become Lauri Markkenen. Zach Lavine has turned into an All-Star level player, but he is sorely lacking established talent with him. Dunn is great on defense but can’t score consistently. Mark should be a beast. For whatever reason his development has stalled. With a new regime in place, all three could be gone next season.

In 2016, the Bulls signed Dwayne Wade to a two-year $47 million contract. At first glance it was a nice homecoming story. At second glance the Bulls needed to get younger and signed an aging vet instead. Wade criticized his younger teammates efforts and maturity. His contract was bought out a year later.

In the 2006 NBA Draft John Paxson selected LaMarcus Aldridge with the second pick. He was initially praised until literally minutes later trading him to the Portland Trailblazers for Tyrus Thomas and some person called Viktor Khryapa. Shockingly this move did not work out. Tyrus Thomas fizzled out of the league. Lamarcus Aldridge has become one of the best power forwards of his generation and has played over 1000 games and still going strong. He’s averaged 20 points and 8 rebounds for his career. Tyrus Thomas averaged 8 points for his career and played 402 games. He last played in 2015.