Intro/Open Letter to Michael Reinsdorf
Intro: Before I go into my open letter, I want to acknowledge this is a tough time for all. So much has changed in the last few weeks and I know there is a lot of uncertainty, anxiety, and general unrest right now.
It’s a bizarre time to start a site and start my first blog entry is a basketball topic and please don’t take it as insensitive or unaware of the current state of the world. This is meant to be a distraction, and hopefully you will find this entertaining.
So, let me just say that Covid-19 is horrible, and I wish that all of you are finding ways to cope right now. I wish you all of you good health for you and your families.
Now let’s go talk about the Chicago Bulls!
April 2, 2020
Mr. Michael Reinsdorf, President and COO
Chicago Bulls
1901 W. Madison Street
Chicago, IL 60612
Dear Michael,
First, I want to say that I hope you, your colleagues, friends, and family are safe right, healthy, and doing the best they can in this horrible time.
I really miss basketball. I miss going to the UC, watching the games on TV (yes, I watched games even this year) and maybe I took for granted what we had before this crisis all started…just seeing the joy of the game and the purity of the sport. It was hard at times to watch your product on the court with all the ups and down this season with injuries, bizarre coaching schemes, and all the losses. But to have basketball back and seeing fans being able to high five each other again would be awesome again.
I want to share a few thoughts with you from my humble perspective.
Let’s be optimistic assume that this crisis will end, and things stabilize again. Let’s also assume that the season starts in the June time frame and teams will play out all their games with the full NBA format.
Here are 5 ideas I would like you to consider:
1) Figure out your identity: Right now, this to me is the glaring hole with the Bulls. The Bulls went from being a gritty defensive D with Thibs, to a quick pace type of team with Hoiberg, and to a mixed bag right now. The Bulls are trying to be like the Rockets with a lot of 3-point shooting combined with “a football mentality” with Boylen. Does that even work? I say pick a team you want to model yourself after first and let the strategy dictate the culture. Do you want to be like the Warriors (they actually play tough D and shoot the ball when healthy) or be like the Knicks (that was a joke)? Seriously, decide on what type of team you want to be and then you can pick the personnel to complement that vision.
2) General Manager: There were a lot of reports during All-Star weekend that Pax is going to give up his GM duties/influence and move to another role. If that is really going to happen, then I hope you are getting a head start on your search process and interviewing the best candidates in the market while the rest of the league might. If the right candidate is available now, then why wait until the offseason to make this happen?
3) Coaching: There were reports from KC Johnson that your organization is asking prospective GMs to keep an open mind on Jim Boylen. That is not a way to attract a GM who will feel like he/she will have full autonomy.
Encouraging your future to consider head coach Jim Boylen when the candidate might have their own coach in mind will not send the right message. Most GMs come in and want to have to their own imprint on the organization. So, ask GMs what they think of Jim Boylen and listen. If the message you get is that they want to bring their own coach, then more than likely he won’t be here next season. Again, this assumes you are already into your search process for a GM.
So make the bold move and promote assistants now on interim basis like Karen Stack Umlauf (https://bit.ly/2xBf2a8) or lead assistant Chris Fleming (https://bit.ly/2UFLwaY) for the rest of this season.
My vote if for Karen to get the job. Let the Chicago Bulls be innovative and be the first team ever with a woman head coach. Talk about putting the Bulls back on the map, creating buzz, and making the job more attractive to prospective GMs. And she might have the right strategy and the players may respond to her. There is still a chance the Bulls could make the playoffs this season.
4) Players:
Keep the following players unless your new GM can some work magic and bring in an all-star. But these players are the keepers in IMHO:
Coby White: he already looks the best player on this young Bulls team, and he is only 20 years old. He is fearless, plays with passion, and looks like a star.
Lauri Markkanen: he still has a ton of potential and can do what a lot of coaches and GM crave, the dude can flat out shoot. He was miscast in this offense that forced him to sit outside the three-point line and stay static. Please go and watch his rookie year. He is very good on the block and has a great baseline jumper and has a lot of strengths that are not being optimized.
Daniel Gafford: young 7-footer (listed as 6-10/rounding up) who attacks the rim like the second coming of Taj Gibson.
Tomáš Satoransk: very solid guard who can play the 1 and the 2 and he is gritty. Every team needs guys like him who can be part of a 3-guard rotation and who has proven he can also start.
Trade the rest of the squad if you can get quality talent back. Yes, even Zach Lavine. He is a baller and has had a great year, but will Coby get the chance to shine if Zach demands the ball? Also, I think Lavine and a package can you get this asset which I believe should be your top offseason priority: get Devin Booker.
Devin is only 24, already is an all-star, and he would be so complimentary to Coby. They would be a Chicago Bulls version of Steph (Coby) and Klay (Devin). More to follow on Devin Booker in the next few weeks on why I believe you have a shot of getting him with a creative approach and a compelling package to help your organization and the Suns.
5) Commit: to bring Chicago Bulls back to a winning franchise again. No more excuses and please be bold. Hire the best GM and don’t settle on being a developing lottery team. Raise the bar and set the standard that Chicago Bulls will evolve into a championship team. It might not happen next season, but the playoffs should be the minimum standard moving forward in the Eastern Conference.
Wishing you good health!
Sincerely,
Girish Mirchandani
Founder, The G Standard