National Basketball Association owners could get some financial relief in the form of of returned pay in any compensation deal with players, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation.
Owners Rumors
Arturas Karnisovas favorite to lead Bulls front office
Front office stability has been a gift and curse for the Chicago Bulls, a marquee franchise that’s finally beginning to act like it. Team President and COO Michael Reinsdorf, son of managing partner Jerry Reinsdorf, has taken more of a leading role in the last couple of seasons and is spearheading the search to hire a new top basketball executive. Multiple sources tell Yahoo Sports Denver Nuggets general manager Arturas Karnisovas is the leader in the clubhouse. Karnisovas has a strong draft record and is known to be good in player development, two of the bullet points the Bulls have earmarked for their next top basketball executive.
Paxson has been involved in the implementation of the search and restructuring of the organization. He’s a favorite of Jerry Reinsdorf, having been a player on championship teams, a broadcaster and now, as executive vice-president. Sources say he’ll be as involved or uninvolved as the new head of basketball operations wants him to be, and it hasn’t been a deterrent in the search, given the awkward nature on its face.
The coincidence in the Bulls’ search for a new head of basketball operations isn’t as much that Zanik interviewed Monday and is considered a finalist for the job. It’s that Josh Paxson and Kevin O’Connor enjoy a respectful professional relationship, and the family ownership structures and philosophies of the Jazz and Bulls are similar. The Reinsdorfs, like the leaguewide perception of Jazz ownership, are known for running the business side and letting basketball operations do their jobs.
Cuban said Tuesday morning he has more than a sliver of hope the NBA will resume games this season, including playoffs. “It may look totally different than it has in the past, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing,” he said. “This reset gives every business a chance to do something differently, and the NBA can try some new things.”
When the league does come back, it will be safety first, he said. There’s no way it would put any players, employees or fans at risk, he said. “We saw what happened with Rudy and Donovan, and it wasn’t pleasant for them and we don’t need anybody else going through that experience,” Cuban said.
Mark Cuban sees the coronavirus pandemic as an opportunity for entrepreneurs and businesses to try something new, including the NBA when and if the league picks up its suspended season. “Rather than looking at this as an ‘oh, no’ it is really an opportunity for entrepreneurs to say, ‘Why not or why not this or I have a vision. Let’s give it a try,’” he said Tuesday on KSL Newsradio’s “Dave and Dujanovic.”
