Chicago Bulls hire former Hawks Executive Bryson Graham to lead basketball operations
The Bulls have made one of the most important decisions of their offseason, hiring Hawks senior vice president Bryson Graham as executive vice president of basketball operations. For a franchise trying to find its footing again, this is more than a front-office move. It is a reset. The Bulls are coming off a 31-51 season, missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year, and are still looking for a new head coach after Billy Donovan stepped down last month. In that context, Graham arrives with both pressure and opportunity attached to his name.
At 39, Graham now becomes the Bulls’ top decision-maker, and he steps into a job that has been viewed around the league as one of the most attractive openings in recent years.
Bulls turn to Bryson Graham for a fresh start
The Bulls cast a wide net in their search. CEO Michael Reinsdorf used a search firm and interviewed candidates from across the league, including Cavaliers general manager Mike Gansey, Spurs assistant GM Dave Telep, and Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin.
Chicago then brought candidates in for in-person interviews last week and spent the weekend weighing three finalists: Graham, Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lindsey, and Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd. Lloyd had been viewed by many around the league as the favorite because of his long history with the organization. He spent 17 seasons with the Bulls in multiple roles from 1995 to 2012, giving him deep ties to the franchise. But as the process played out, Graham separated himself.
According to team sources, the Bulls were drawn to his player evaluation record and to the range of experience he has built throughout his career. That mattered for an organization that many internally felt had become disjointed under the previous regime.
Reinsdorf made clear what the Bulls believe they are getting. “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,” Reinsdorf said in the team’s statement. “He understands today’s league, today’s players, and what it takes to develop talent and build a winning culture.”
Why the Bulls believe Graham is the right hire
Around the NBA, Graham has earned a strong reputation for his scouting eye. That reputation is a big part of why the Bulls made this move now. His drafting résumé includes Trey Murphy III at No. 17, Herbert Jones at No. 35, Dyson Daniels at No. 8, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker at No. 17. Those are not empty line items on a résumé. Those are the kinds of picks front offices hang onto when they are trying to prove they can identify real value.
The Bulls especially valued that background because they are heading into a 2026 draft class that is considered deep, and they are positioned to have multiple first-round picks. In a league where one smart draft summer can alter a franchise’s direction, Chicago wanted someone with a proven feel for talent.
Graham also brings experience beyond scouting. He spent 15 years in New Orleans, rising from intern in 2010-11 to general manager in 2024-25 with the Pelicans. Last summer, Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh brought him to Atlanta as his top executive. Now, only a year later, Graham leaves for a chance to run the Bulls. That climb matters. It suggests patience, perspective, and a firsthand understanding of how every layer of a basketball operation functions.
Bulls roster gives Graham real flexibility
This is not a teardown job with no tools. The Bulls roster and asset sheet give Graham room to move quickly if he chooses. Chicago owns its 2026 lottery pick and also has Portland’s 2026 first-round pick, which came from the 2021 Lauri Markkanen trade. The Bulls are also sitting on nearly $60 million in available cap space. That combination of picks and financial flexibility is rare. It is why this opening drew so much interest around the league, especially in a market like Chicago.
The roster, however, still needs shaping. Graham inherits a group that includes Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, Tre Jones, and Noa Essengue. Essengue, a lottery pick last season, played only two games before season-ending left shoulder surgery. There is talent here, but there are also major questions about fit, timeline, and ceiling. The Bulls do not need cosmetic changes. They need direction.
Bulls face major decisions after front-office change
Graham’s first months on the job could define the next several years of Bulls basketball. He is expected to have autonomy in building out the rest of the front office, according to team sources. That is significant. It means the Bulls are not just hiring a lead executive; they are handing him real influence over the structure around him. He will also be tasked with helping lead the coaching search after Donovan’s exit. That decision will matter as much as any roster move, because the Bulls are trying to establish a coherent identity after years of hovering in the middle.
Graham also becomes just the third head of basketball operations hired by Chicago since 2000. John Paxson held the role from 2009 to 2020 before Arturas Karnisovas took over. Karnisovas lasted six years before being fired before the final week of the 2025-26 regular season.
That history adds weight to the moment. The Bulls are not a franchise that changes leadership often. When they do, it is supposed to mean something. Now the pressure shifts to Graham. The Bulls have draft capital. They have cap space. They have a major market. What they have not had lately is momentum. This hire will not fix everything overnight. But it gives the Bulls a new voice, a new evaluator, and a new chance to get the next era right.
