Bulls Rumors: Bryan Colangelo, Danny Ferry, Wes Wilcox Interview for Exec. Job

The Chicago Bulls have interviewed former Atlanta Hawks general manager Wes Wilcox for their executive vice president of basketball operations vacancy, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. 

NBC Sports Chicago's K.C. Johnson reported Chicago is interviewing Danny Ferry, who was most recently the New Orleans Pelicans' interim GM. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, former Philadelphia 76ers general manager Bryan Colangelo is a target as well.

Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill reported Denver Nuggets general manager Arturas Karnisovas "is the leader in the clubhouse," which Wojnarowski echoed Wednesday.

Wojnarowski reported last Friday the Bulls were planning to transition John Paxson into an "advisory role" within the organization. Wojnarowski added that Paxson's replacement would have "full authority on basketball decisions."

The Hawks hired Wilcox as their assistant general manager in July 2012 and promoted him to GM three years later after Ferry stepped down.

In January 2017, Wilcox apologized after making a joke that played on racist stereotypes during an event for season ticket holders and club members.

"I know you guys may be angry with me, but I'm used to it because I have a black wife and three mixed kids, so I'm used to people being angry and argumentative," he said to the crowd, per Deadspin's Patrick Redford.

Wilcox resigned from the post in May 2017.

Controversy preceded Ferry's departure as well after he made racist comments about Luol Deng during a discussion about prospective free-agent targets for the Hawks.

"He is still a young guy overall," he said of Deng, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Chris Vivlamore. "He is a good guy overall. But he is not perfect. He's got some African in him. And I don't say that in a bad way."

Colangelo, meanwhile, resigned in June 2018 after The Ringer's Ben Detrick found evidence pointing to him using burner accounts on social media to criticize the players. 

Colangelo issued a statement saying his wife had been behind the accounts.

Based on their candidate pool, the Bulls are putting a priority on experience, despite past controversies, as they look to turn their fortunes around.