Bulls hire Hawks senior VP Bryson Graham to lead basketball ops

The Chicago Bulls are turning to Atlanta Hawks senior vice president Bryson Graham to head up their basketball operations.

The Bulls named Graham their executive vice president of basketball operations on Monday, replacing Arturas Karnisovas, who was fired late in the season.

Graham, 39, served as the New Orleans Pelicans' general manager for the 2024-25 season before joining the Hawks. He spent 15 seasons rising the ranks in New Orleans from intern to GM.

"I am incredibly honored to join the Chicago Bulls organization," Graham said in a statement. "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. 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. I want to thank Jerry and Michael Reinsdorf and the entire Bulls organization for presenting me with this opportunity. I am ready to get to work."

Bulls president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf said in a statement that Graham "has earned tremendous respect across the league" as a talent evaluator.

"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 in part. "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. He knows what he does well, and he is focused on surrounding that with strong leadership across strategy, scouting, and player development. This is an important step for our organization. We know there is work ahead, but we are confident in Bryson's ability to lead, build and move us forward."

Graham hails from San Antonio and played college basketball at Texas A&M.

ESPN reported that the other finalists for the job were Detroit Pistons senior VP Dennis Lindsey and Minnesota Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd.

Chicago is in the midst of an overhaul after it also fired general manager Marc Eversley before head coach Billy Donovan stepped down. The historic franchise finished the season 31-51 and missed the playoffs for the eighth time in nine years; the Bulls haven't won a playoff series since 2015.

--Field Level Media