Report: Bulls interested in hiring, promoting Raptors GM Bobby Webster

The Chicago Bulls are searching for a new head of basketball operations, and they are expected to seek permission to interview Raptors general manager Bobby Webster, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Webster joined the Raptors in 2013, was promoted to general manager in 2017, and remains the youngest to hold that title in the NBA. Webster was recruited from the league office by Masai Ujiri, who made Webster his first hire, and he played an instrumental role in building the 2019 championship roster. Webster facilitated much of the Kawhi Leonard trade in 2018, for starters, and is said to be one of the best at maneuvering the salary cap.

Webster, like Ujiri and much of the Raptors leadership, is under contract through 2021. However, in most cases of a promotion, such as jumping from general manager to head of basketball operations, common practice in the NBA is that contracts can be broken.

The Raptors faced a similar situation in 2017, when former general manager Jeff Weltman was hired to be the head of basketball operations for the Orlando Magic, for which the Raptors received a second-round pick as compensation. There has also been constant interest in Ujiri, most notably from the Knicks, who have seemingly decided to go another way in hiring former agent Leon Rose earlier this year.

All this interest is symptomatic of success, as the Raptors have become a model of success for the rest of the league to copy, similar to how the San Antonio Spurs gave rise to so many coaches and general managers over the years. Only the Golden State Warriors (388) have won more games than the Raptors (367) since Ujiri took charge in 2013.

Chicago is also expected to interview Denver Nuggets general manager Arturas Karnisovas, Indiana's Chad Buchanan, and Miami's Adam Simon, according to Darnell Mayberry and Shams Charania of The Athletic.

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