Chicago Bulls: What Arturas Karnisovas’ priorities should be?

1. Transforming the Bulls into a perennial playoff contender

Following Tom Thibodeau’s exit in 2015, the Bulls haven’t won more than 42 games. On top of that, they have failed to crack the 30-win plateau during that stretch, although that could change this year should the season resume.

Needless to say, the fan base is starving for a product on the court that is worth cheering for. Fortunately, Karnisovas knows a thing or two about turning a team around.

While the Denver Nuggets won 36, 33 and 30 games, respectively, during his first few seasons in Denver, Karnisovas did make a few noteworthy moves. In 2014, he took Doug McDermott with the No. 11 overall pick and sent him to Chicago in exchange for Gary Harris and Jusuf Nurkic, both of which have fared better the Dougie McBuckets.

In the second round of the same draft, Karnisovas selected Nikola Jokic (20.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per contest this season), who has become one of the most versatile centers in the NBA. In 2015, he acquired Will Barton from the Portland Trail Blazers, who is currently third on the team in scoring at 15.1 points per contest.

And in 2016, Karnisovas took Jamal Murray with the No. 7 overall pick. He is currently averaging 18.8 points per outing, the second-best scoring output on the roster behind Jokic.

After those first few disappointing years, the Nuggets have increased their win totals in each of the last three seasons. They finished with the second-best record in the Western Conference last season and were one game away from the Western Conference Finals. This season, Denver had the third-best record out West.

It is also worth noting that the Nuggets accomplished this feat despite never having a selection higher than No. 7 — a number that Bulls fans have become quite familiar with over the past three seasons.

While Karnisovas helped turn the Nuggets into a formidable playoff team through successful draft selections, will be able to duplicate that success in the Windy City? The even bigger question is, can he help improve the image of a franchise that hasn’t been known as a desirable destination for free agents in recent years?