So it’s finally official. Billy Donovan is done with the Chicago Bulls.
The news dropped Tuesday and honestly, it didn’t come as a huge shock to anyone who’s been following this situation closely. After six seasons, one playoff appearance, and more front office drama than any coach should have to deal with — Donovan decided it was time to move on. Or more accurately, he decided to let the Bulls move on without him.
And that distinction actually matters a lot here.
He Wasn’t Fired. He Walked Away — On His Own Terms.
This wasn’t the Bulls showing him the door. If anything, the organization was practically begging him to stay. Bulls CEO Michael Reinsdorf said — publicly, on record — that any incoming executive who wasn’t on board with keeping Donovan as coach was probably “not the right candidate” for the job. That’s a remarkable thing to say about any employee, let alone a head coach in the middle of a full organizational teardown.
But Donovan sat with ownership, had the real conversations, and came to the conclusion that a clean break made more sense. For everyone.
His own words put it simply enough:
“After a series of thoughtful and extensive discussions with ownership regarding the future of the organization, I have decided to step away as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls to allow the search process to unfold. I believe it is in the best interest of the Bulls to allow the new leader to build out the staff as they see fit.”
Read that again. He stepped aside so the new guy could build his own team. That’s not something most coaches do. Most coaches hang on until they’re pushed out. Donovan just… let go. And there’s something genuinely admirable about that.
Six Years. One Playoff Run. A Whole Lot of Bad Luck.
| Seasons with Bulls | Win-Loss Record | Playoff Appearances |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 226–256 | 1 |
Yeah, 226–256 doesn’t look great on paper. We get it. Bulls fans have every right to feel frustrated with where this team ended up.
But here’s the thing people keep glossing over — Donovan’s first season in Chicago was genuinely exciting. The 2021–22 Bulls went 46–36, made the playoffs, and for the first time in years it felt like this franchise had a real identity again. DeRozan was balling, LaVine was doing LaVine things, and the city was into it.
Then everything fell apart. Lonzo Ball’s knee. Injuries stacking up. The front office making questionable moves. Zach LaVine eventually getting traded. The whole core just… dissolved. By this past season, Donovan was working with a 31–51 roster full of guys who were either still developing or were clearly someone else’s unwanted pieces. That’s not a coaching problem. That’s a roster construction problem.
He never really got a fair shot at building something sustainable. And that’s on the front office — not him.
Speaking of the Front Office…
The Bulls already fired executive VP Arturas Karnisovas and GM Marc Eversley back on April 6 — six days before the regular season even ended. So the housecleaning started well before Donovan made his call.
Now Chicago is doing a full rebuild at the top. They’ve brought in search firm TurnkeyZRG to help find a new head of basketball operations, and reportedly former exec John Paxson is involved in the process somehow. That last part has raised a few eyebrows among Bulls fans who remember the Paxson era fondly… or not so fondly, depending on who you ask.
The clock is ticking too. The NBA Draft Lottery is May 10 — right here in Chicago — and the Bulls are sitting on two first-round picks in what looks like a really deep 2026 class. Getting the right people in place before then isn’t just important, it’s urgent.
So Where Does Donovan Go From Here?
He’s not retiring. That much is clear. At 60, with two college national championships and years of NBA experience under his belt, Donovan is still very much a wanted man around the league. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported he’ll be a “viable target” for teams looking for a new head coach this offseason.
He was apparently on North Carolina’s radar for their head coaching vacancy too, but that ended up going to Mike Malone. The Knicks had interest in him a year ago as well.
Point is — whoever lands Billy Donovan is getting a quality coach. A Hall of Famer who knows how to earn a locker room’s respect even when the wins aren’t coming. That’s rarer than people think.
Chicago Needed a Reset. This Is It.
Look — this isn’t a happy ending, but it might be a necessary one. The Bulls have been stuck in this frustrating middle ground for too long. Not bad enough to tank properly, not good enough to actually compete. Mediocre, season after season.
The front office overhaul, Donovan’s exit, two lottery picks — this is genuinely the most interesting the Bulls offseason has looked in years. Whether Chicago’s ownership actually uses this moment to build something real, or falls back into old habits, remains to be seen.
But at least now there’s a blank page. And sometimes that’s exactly what a team needs.
Good luck, Coach Donovan. Chicago’s complicated, but you handled it with class.
