Chicago Bulls hire Atlanta Hawks
executive Bryson Graham to lead their front office
[May 05, 2026]
By ANDREW SELIGMAN
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls hired Atlanta Hawks executive
Bryson Graham to lead their front office on Monday, hoping he can
turn around a struggling franchise.
Graham takes over as Chicago's executive vice president of
basketball operations after the organization fired Arturas
Karnisovas a month ago. He spent this season as Atlanta's senior
vice president of basketball operations after a 15-year run in New
Orleans' front office that saw him rise from intern to general
manager. He had a hand in the Pelicans drafting Trey Murphy III,
Herb Jones, and Dyson Daniels in recent years.
Graham reunited with Nickeil Alexander-Walker in July when Atlanta
acquired him from Minnesota. He averaged 20.8 points and was the
NBA's Most Improved Player. The Hawks went 46-36 before losing to
New York in the first round of the playoffs and posted their highest
win total since the 2015-16 team finished 48-34.
“This is one of the most storied franchises in the history of
professional basketball, and I feel a tremendous sense of
responsibility to deliver results for this city and these fans,”
Graham said in a statement. "My entire career has been built on the
belief that sustained success starts with finding the right players
and developing an all-around impactful culture.”
The Bulls fired Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley in
early April after six years and one postseason appearance. They went
on to finish 12th in the Eastern Conference at 31-51 while missing
the playoffs for the fourth straight year.
Graham will need to hire a new coach. Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and
president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf had hoped to retain Billy
Donovan. But the Naismith Hall of Famer opted to resign after six
seasons, avoiding a potentially awkward situation with new
management.
“He has worked his way up through basketball operations from the
ground level, and that experience has given him a deep understanding
of how to build and sustain a successful organization,” Michael
Reinsdorf said. "He is an effective communicator, a disciplined and
thoughtful decision-maker, and someone who truly connects with
players and people. He understands today’s league, today’s players,
and what it takes to develop talent and build a winning culture.
Just as important, Bryson is committed to building a high-level
group around him."
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New Orleans Pelicans general manager Bryson Graham talks to the
media during the NBA basketball team's media day at the Smoothie
King Center in New Orleans, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (David Grunfeld/The
Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP, File)
Graham inherits a team with two promising young
stars in Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis, two first-round draft picks
and the salary-cap space to make big moves this offseason. But the
Bulls haven’t been serious contenders in the Eastern Conference
since Derrick Rose tore his ACL in the opener of the 2012 playoffs
against Philadelphia.
Chicago’s lone playoff appearance under the previous regime was
during the 2021-22 season, when the team led by Zach LaVine and
DeMar DeRozan finished sixth in the Eastern Conference at 46-36 and
got knocked out by Milwaukee in the first round. The Bulls lost
point guard Lonzo Ball to a knee injury during that season, and he
missed the next two years.
Chicago’s most recent all-star was DeRozan in 2023.
Karnisovas refused for years to launch a major rebuild and give the
Bulls the best shot at the No. 1 pick, stressing patience and not
skipping steps, before pulling the trigger this year. He made seven
trades prior to the deadline, dealing Nikola Vucevic to Boston,
Kevin Huerter to Detroit, Coby White to Charlotte and Chicago
product Ayo Dosunmu to Minnesota.
The Bulls mostly got second-round draft picks in return. They also
acquired Jaden Ivey from Detroit, only to waive him following anti-LGBTQ+
comments about religion he made in videos posted on his Instagram
account.
Graham, who's from San Antonio, played at Texas A&M from 2006 to
2009 before joining the Aggies' staff as a graduate assistant. He
was hired as an intern in New Orleans by then-GM Dell Demps prior to
the 2010-11 season.
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