The offseason has come early for the Chicago Bulls, having fired executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley before this campaign is even finished.
Chicago's decision could have a surprise impact on the Golden State Warriors, with the Bulls reportedly looking at trying to steal general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. for the now vacant role in their organization.
Bulls could steal Mike Dunleavy Jr. from the Warriors
A number of different names have already been linked to the role at the Bulls in a report from Kurt Helin of NBC Sports, including Dunleavy who is just about to complete his third season as general manager of the Warriors.
"Other names that sources said were connected to the job early on include former Atlanta Hawks GM Landry Fields, current Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy (this may be more of a wish list play by the Bulls, it is highly unlikely Dunleavy leaves Golden State)," Helin wrote.
While Helin acknowledges this may be wishful thinking rather than a realistic possibility for Chicago, it's nonetheless interesting that Dunleavy has instantly been linked to the role considering his ties with the franchise.
After starting his playing career at the Warriors, Dunleavy played three years at the Bulls from 2013 to 2016. That's where he built a relationship with now Warrior forward Jimmy Butler, something that proved important when the 6x All-Star was acquired from the Miami Heat at last February's trade deadline.
While there might be less pressure in Chicago, and while they may have more young talent in comparison to Golden State's veteran squad, there's not necessarily much of an appeal in switching franchises unless there's a real lucrative offer on the table that Joe Lacob won't match.
Mike Dunleavy Jr. could use Bulls interest to his advantage
Perhaps this is where Dunleavy could utilize the Bulls' interest in poaching him to his advantage, providing leverage to try and get a new deal from Lacob and the Warriors that locks him in for longer as general manager.
Dunleavy replaced 4x championship-winning executive Bob Myers as general manager after the 2022-23 season, signing a long-term contract but one where the specifics (length, money) were not publicly disclosed.
The 45-year-old has been criticized at times by the fanbase for certain moves in recent years, including his first which was to trade Jordan Poole for a then 38-year-old Chris Paul. However, Dunleavy also gained praise for the Butler move last year, along with his ability to identify talent with late second-round picks in recent drafts.