Former Bulls GM Gar Forman Reportedly Joins Pelicans Front Office as Advisor

Former Chicago Bulls general manager Gar Forman is taking a position within the New Orleans Pelicans' organization, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.  

Per Wojnarowski, Forman will be a special advisor and "focus in the scouting area for David Griffin and Trajan Langdon."

The Bulls fired Forman in April, ending his time as general manager after 10 years and bringing to a close his 22-year run with the franchise. The move was part of a larger shakeup as John Paxson was demoted from his role as vice president of basketball operations.

Together, Forman and Paxson were figures of constant criticism from Bulls fans, who made "Fire GarPax" their rallying cry.

NBC Sports Chicago's K.C. Johnson reported that Forman "had largely been relegated to a scouting role since [Paxson] reclaimed face of the franchise duties in the wake of the June 2017 trade of Jimmy Butler." He added that Forman was expected to seek out work in a scouting capacity for another NBA team in the wake of his firing.

Johnson had previously written in December 2018 about how Forman's duties had changed and that he "spent considerable time in Europe, scouting Luka Doncic" and "lived out of a suitcase during the various conference tournaments and NCAA tournament."

Forman's ouster wasn't surprising after the Bulls missed the playoffs in four of the last five seasons. However, he had a role in Chicago building a roster that reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2010-11. Getting Joakim Noah with the No. 9 pick in 2007 and selecting Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson toward the end of the first round in their respective drafts was instrumental in that success.

The Pelicans have a foundational star in Zion Williamson, but New Orleans has never been a marquee market for free agents or players on the trade block. Griffin, the executive vice president of basketball operations, and general manager Langdon need to find whatever advantages they can on the margins to build the roster around Williamson.

Perhaps Forman can provide input that helps New Orleans strike gold in the NBA draft.