The Chicago Bulls have some fun new decisions to make. Not only do they need to hire a new head coach after Billy Donovan announced he’ll be leaving the organization, but they also have to build out a new front office.
There were six names reported to be on the Bulls’ shortlist for interviews: Matt Lloyd, Dennis Lindsey, Mike Gansey, Dave Telep, Austin Brown, and the one we’ll be taking a closer look at today, Bryson Graham, the Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Atlanta Hawks.
© Matthew Hinton-Imagn ImagesBryson Graham: The Hits and Misses
Bryson Graham, 39, comes from the 2009 class of Texas A&M University, where he suited up for the Aggies from 2006 to 2009. He was part of the team that made it to the 2007 Sweet Sixteen and reached the second round of the 2008 and 2009 NCAA Tournaments. He shared the court with NBA players like Acie Law, Donal Sloan, and DeAndre Jordan, but ultimately stayed close to the sport through the front office rather than on the hardwood.
His rise to becoming a top front office candidate started as an intern with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2010. From there, he climbed the ranks, serving as Player Development Director, Basketball Operations Associate, Video Coordinator, Scouting Coordinator, and Director of College Scouting.
In 2019, Bryson Graham was promoted to Assistant General Manager of the Pelicans, a role he held until June 2024. After that, he earned a promotion to General Manager of the very team he began his career with.
This season, however, he’s taken on a new challenge as the Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Atlanta Hawks, a role he stepped into at the start of the year.
© Matthew Hinton-Imagn ImagesHits:
Bryson Graham has really only been “the guy” making the final decisions once in his career, as a general manager. And even then, there’s no clear information on how much of those moves were his versus David Griffin’s.
What we do know about Bryson is that his role with the New Orleans Pelicans was as a key talent evaluator across the professional, collegiate, and international levels, while also assisting in the team’s year-round preparation for the NBA Draft, free agency, and trades. And when you look at the talent on that roster, it’s pretty impressive. The issue isn’t the talent, it’s that the pieces haven’t quite fit together. Still, there’s a ton of value there.
His track record during that stretch includes players like Zion Williamson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Naji Marshall, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Jose Alvarado, Dyson Daniels, and Yves Missi, all of whom are solid NBA players as of 2026.
He was also unofficially credited with helping facilitate the trade between the Atlanta Hawks and the New Orleans Pelicans for their pick, from the Hawks’ side, a pick that could turn into something special in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Bryson Graham was also named to The Athletic’s 40 Under 40 list in 2022, a list he’s technically still eligible for, by the way.
“I think he’s really good,” one NBA executive said four years ago. “He’s smart, he works hard, and he knows his stuff. He’ll be a GM in the next five years.”
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY SportsMisses:
The most obvious misses feel more like misses by association. While Bryson Graham’s draft track record has been strong, the New Orleans Pelicans as a whole haven’t been. In his six seasons as an assistant GM and GM, the Pels have only made the playoffs twice, both ending in first-round exits.
He was also part of the front office that got cleared out to make room for Joe Dumars, which, to be fair to Bryson, hasn’t exactly looked great so far.
He’s never really had full control in a role, and that lack of experience might be the biggest question mark. Then again, we’ve seen what seasoned executives have done in Chicago, and suddenly, inexperience doesn’t sound like such a bad thing, it might even be a plus.
He’s also worked with Trajan Langdon and Travis Schlenk, two executives who have since landed roles with TurnkeyZRG—the same search firm assisting with this Chicago Bulls hire.
So yeah, a candidate skipping the usual step of being a GM and jumping straight to President of Basketball Operations is a risky move. But that doesn’t mean it’s the wrong one.
He could still make a lot of sense as part of a front office build, maybe even as the new GM.
© David Banks-Imagn ImagesWhat Could the Chicago Bulls Expect from Bryson Graham?
With Bryson Graham, some things feel close to guarantees, high-level talent evaluation and more hits than misses in the Draft. That alone could give the Chicago Bulls a clear direction built around developing through the draft, which matters even more when they’re holding four picks in what’s being called a “stacked” 2026 NBA Draft.
It also opens the door to trading for additional picks, giving them more swings and more chances to find value, especially in those diamonds in the rough.
Pair him with someone who knows how to maximize that talent, someone strong in roster construction, and suddenly, the Bulls could look completely unrecognizable, in a good way.
Bryson Graham is also young, but still commands respect. As a former player, he understands that building a team doesn’t happen overnight.
And now, with Billy Donovan out, any decisions made would be his. No buffer. Will his level of experience ultimately decide whether he gets the job? I guess we’ll find out.
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