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Bulls' Forman wins share of NBA Executive of Year Award

Bulls general manager Gar Forman won a share of the NBA's Executive of the Year Award, along with Miami's Pat Riley.

Forman and Riley each received 11 votes from a panel of team executives. John Paxson, the Bulls vice president of basketball operation, finished third with 3 votes, followed by San Antonio's R.C. Buford with 2 votes.

The Bulls became a championship contender mostly through winning the 2008 draft lottery and selecting MVP Derrick Rose.

But Forman can take credit for hiring coach of the year Tom Thibodeau, along with the additions of Carlos Boozer, Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver, C.J. Watson, Keith Bogans and Kurt Thomas last summer. The Bulls also made a couple of smart draft picks, getting Taj Gibson at No. 26 in 2009 and making a draft night trade for the rights to second-round center Omer Asik.

Riley spent three years clearing cap space for the biggest free-agent haul in NBA history. Miami lured two-time MVP LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join Dwyane Wade with the Heat.

Even without landing James, the Bulls finished with the NBA's best record at 62-20, four games ahead of Miami in the Eastern Conference.

In Bulls history, Jerry Krause won the award twice, in 1988 and '96.