Patrick Williams was the Bulls' first draft pick under Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley. Now, both are gone as Chicago enters a critical offseason.
When Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley were relieved of their duties on Monday afternoon, Chicago fans overwhelmingly rejoiced. Bulls players were stunned.
With all of the misinformation floating around on social media, sixth-year forward Patrick Williams said it's hard to tell what's real and what's fake. But when he and the other Bulls players found out that the reports were true, they immediately began to process what the aftermath meant for the team and their futures.
"Once we found out that it was real, it was more of a genuine shock from everybody," Williams told reporters on Tuesday in D.C. "It definitely took a while for it to sit in, and we had a conversation as a group, as a team, just about what that means, what it looks like going forward. Really, the fact that these last however many games we have, our job is the same, to go out there and win — even moreso now, so to speak."
Head coach Billy Donovan led the initial debrief, then players held their own conversations to discuss the news further. With four games remaining in the 2025-26 regular season, the Bulls sought to address everything at once and calm their racing minds before refocusing on basketball.
The firings raise several questions in the Windy City. Could Donovan be next, or have interest in a front office role? Which players could get moved this offseason and find themselves on a different roster next fall?
Karnisovas and Eversley made Williams their first draft pick when they selected him No. 4 overall in 2020, just months after Chicago appointed the two to its EVP and GM positions. Now that they're gone, Williams' future is in doubt, even with three more years left on his contract.
Mar 13, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives the ball while under pressure from Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) during the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn ImagesWilliams understands the business side of the sport, but that didn't make the news any easier for the 24-year-old to hear. He emphasized how much he valued the relationships he built with Karnisovas and Eversley, who were responsible for bringing in every player on the Bulls' active roster.
"I have nothing but respect for those guys, who they've been to me," Williams said. "When I came in, I was the youngest in the league. For them to mold me and push me in the right direction, put vets around me that I can learn from and continue to learn from those guys, it's been huge. On the court, off the court, learning about the business, about the game, I can't thank those guys enough."
The Bulls have been saying, "It's just business," a lot this season. Chicago is 29-49, traded away half of the team mid-season and has already clinched its worst record under Donovan. Hard decisions will have to be made this spring and summer, and the front office shakeup is only the beginning for a franchise that is desperately in need of a rebuild.
Now, the players have turned their attention to closing out the season strong. Chicago faces the league-worst Washington Wizards on Tuesday and Thursday, then wraps up its home slate against Orlando on Friday. The Bulls' season finale is set for Sunday in Dallas.