Billy Donovan is parting ways with the Bulls after spending the past six seasons as their head coach, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports. The team has put out a press release officially confirming the split.
It’s the second major organizational change of the spring for the Bulls, who fired executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley earlier this month. Following that front office shake-up, president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf expressed in strong terms that the team wanted to retain Donovan, but the veteran coach had an option on his contract and has decided to go in another direction.
As Charania details, Donovan discussed the situation at length with team ownership during the past week but ultimately determined that a “clean break” was the right outcome for both sides. Donovan confirmed as much in a formal statement relayed by the Bulls.
“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,” Donovan said. “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.”
Reinsdorf and his father, Bulls controlling owner Jerry Reinsdorf, issued statements of their own within the team’s press release, expressing gratitude to Donovan for the work he has done with the franchise over the past six years.
The Bulls only made the playoffs once in those six seasons and didn’t advance beyond the first round during that brief postseason run. In total, Donovan compiled a 226-256 (.469) regular season record across six years, winning either 39 or 40 games and appearing in the play-in tournament for three straight seasons from 2022-25.
Chicago’s 31-51 record this season was the worst mark the team posted during Donovan’s tenure, and the team’s mini-fire sale at the deadline created the impression that the organization is more seriously committed to retooling its roster after spending several seasons mired in mediocrity. There had been doubt about whether Donovan, a Hall-of-Famer who will turn 61 next month, would want to stick it out with the Bulls through a rebuild.
While Donovan won’t be back on Chicago’s bench next season, he’s not prepared to retire. Sources tell Charania that Donovan intends to continue his coaching career and will be a “viable target” for NBA teams in the market for a new coach. Donovan drew interest from both NBA teams – including the Knicks a year ago – and college programs – most recently, UNC – while he was under contract with the Bulls.
The Bulls are one of three teams now looking to hire a new permanent head coach, joining the Bucks and the Pelicans. They’re also one of two clubs seeking a new head of basketball operations, along with the Mavericks.
In all likelihood, the Bulls will focus on completing their front office search first, since that would allow their new top basketball operations executive to have a hand in picking Donovan’s replacement.
:)
Bulls finally are changing things and not holding on to the 2021-22 bulls roster
Donovan isnt a bad coach but he sucks as a rebuilding coach
Sucks as a NBA win now coach too
Can’t just blame him the GM did a horrible job drafting.
Insert MJ meme I USED TO PRAY FOR TIMES LIKE THIS……
raz427, what kind of coach do Bulls need? Do they get a young coach and give him freedom to shape the team from scratch? Or is this about a “win now”?
Anyone who can make in game adjustments, not make the same mistakes. Matchups and substitutions are also needed. Halftime adjustments as well, too many times this team got blown tf out in 3rd quarters because he never adjusted to the pace or momentum of a game.
Honestly I have no clue who is ‘hot’ in the coaching circle bc unlike NFL, you have offensive/defensive coordinators who are hot because of a few good years. NBA is a crapshoot.
Isn’t Jerry just going to cheap out and hire two no names while the team hard tanks to high lottery odds?
We are hiring a home depot coach.
I just got up. I think the POBO job just got even more tempting since the guy will have complete control over the Organization and with the Cap Money and Tradable contracts and having the draft picks makes it an appealing job opportunity now. The small ball run and gun style is not a winning style anymore and besides when and if you make it to the Playoffs you better be able to play defense and Half court offense. Because you’ll have to. It just makes more sense if you start over, Don’t do it halfway. I don’t know who’s idea it was to forego the C and PF positions entirely, But since I don’t now I’m glad they’re all gone now.
Unclemike popping bottles right now…
Tried a cartwheel when the other 2 went. Turned out badly. I’m just glad the new POBO will have the chance to succeed on his own terms and not be forced into a situation where he has to deal with a coach he may not have wanted. It just makes more sense. I don’t have anything against Donovan except he’s proven his style isn’t a winning NBA style anymore. It’s in the past. Right now bigger is better and shot makers rule the day. Hopefully we won’t see any more draft picks that have 8 foot wing spans but can’t shoot. Now come on ping pong balls and Keaton Wagler. Probably wishing for too much but man that kid can shoot the rock.
Good news for Bulls fans!
Got to say I’m kind of surprised that Billy stepped down. He seemed to have the golden ticket. With the statement that he released I gotta say I have more respect for him. Not everyone who has this type of job security would give it up. Best of luck Billy. Now the question is who does Chicago go after?
Billy was the least of the problems with the Bulls, but I respect that he probably saw that they needed a fresh start all around after firing AKME.
Thank you for everything Billy. Best of luck elsewhere
He wasn’t the only problem but he WAS part of the problem.
I think it’s faulty to think that Donovan was the problem. He may not be the right coach to lead them to a championship but he nighters been the perfect coach to deal with and teach young players and from what I’ve heard, the players like him. Rather than thinking “finally they got it right” I’m more inclined to think he had a sit down with management and likely felt THEY were not going to do anything to address the organizational problems (GM, coaching decisions, maybe spending) and felt he was better off walking away. Financially he can do a lot of things to earn coaching money, especially with all the new nba platforms hiring today via podcasts, TV and streaming. So don’t “horay” so easily. He might be a sign that things might change cosmeticaly, but that pig is still a pig regardless of the makeup you use.
Any team without a coach is going to go after him
Happy for Billy. Chicago is now probably the most lost organization in the,NBA. Jordan and nothing else.
Come to the Knicks. Because Brown is going to prove he wasn’t the right choice.
Pretty much everyone knew that right from the jump.
Yep. They went as far as they could with Thibs. They needed an innovative coach to try new things and hopefully get them over the hump. Instead, they went with a retread who does not adjust well. If they get beat by the Hawks, I am praying they fire Brown.
Amen.
The Knicks can hire whatever coach they want, they are not good enough to win.
They dont stink like they did for 20 years, but are overrated as ever.
I like Taylor Jenkins here. I would think he would be interested also as it looks like Milwaukee is a dead end.
Reinsdorf is going to waive a blank cheque in front of Kerr.
Not as a coach. But maybe as a POBO? Depending on the other candidates maybe it would even work. After Paxson miserably failed not sure if they go the old player route again. But Jerry does have his pets and Kerr has no contract.
I would love a Bob Myers/Steve Kerr front office. They have a shot to get this right and better not mess it up.
The Warriors are just about over, What about a Kerr/Dunleavy FO? They were both here at one time. And they know each other. Hmmmm
No to MDJ. I rather have Don Nelson running the show lol.
That’s why the Warriors lost Webber and a dynasty maybe. Small ball no thanks
😂😂😂Donovan just dumped Bulls🙈🙈🙈
Celebrate Bulls nation
They said they were going to keep Christie but a chance to bring over another key cog from the 2022 Bulls might be more than the Kings can resist.
What are the odds the Myers/Kerr tandem takes over GM/head coaching in Chicago? Provide a percentage.
Also provide a percentage chance Draymond Green declines player option in SF and joins Myers and Kerr.
A coach is rarely (never really) THE problem. But Donovan hasn’t been an impact coach in the NBA. I can’t, off hand, think of a single (full) season where his team performed much above the midpoint of its talent range.
I doubt the departure is as much his decision as is being stated or implied. In fact, I’m relatively sure it isn’t. He just signed an extension in the offseason, and I doubt CHI wanted to be on the hook for all of it, which would be the case if they just fired him without an agreement. From Donavan’s end, he needed an agreement to avoid being beholden to CHI for the balance of the deal.
Go the Mike Malone route. Do a year of TV and then pick and choose the best job available in college ranks.
Kentucky might be a good fit for him. Same conference as Florida and it’s a blue blood.
I am very happy that Donovan left. He doesn’t belong in that horrible situation, the bulls. The ownership of the bulls and that southside of Chicago baseball team are embarrassing. They are an embarrassment to professional sports. And it is all due to ownership. The best thing that could happen to Chicago is if that bonehead owner would move both of those teams to Tennessee or wherever, and that would allow Chicago to get an expansion team with new ownership, and I believe would win quicker than his operation would.
Six seasons? Felt more like 12
18.
Donovan is a good coach. Not Donovan’s fault. No coach could win with the roster for this past season.
Wish that the Bulls would take it a step further and trade Giddey. It’s like night and day watching the Bulls compared to Minnesota last night. Talented, big, strong, athletic and with high aggression level.
Unfortunately we’ll never know whether the AK/ME combination made Donovan play with those guys, Or whether Donovan pushed for those types of players and we’ll never know now so you can’t say that. Nobody is talking or will in all likelihood. Playing run and gun in an NBA with smaller players just gets them beat up and injured constantly as we saw with Caruso and others. Bulls started out 5-0, Then everybody started dropping like flies. It’s not a winning formula anymore and he was a major part of the problem and needed to go. That might work in College now, But I kind of doubt it in the long run.
Donovan to me is the definition of a decent NBA coach. Not much more, not much less.
There’s not guarantee that the Bulls will get a better coach, but they need a fresh start. Good decision for both sides.
Since it will be a Reinsdorf hire, look for it to be someone with a high tolerance for losing.
Wow …. why now. Gotta think about this. Just found out. Should of took UNC job.
Would love to see the Bulls get a younger college coach. Jon Scheyer seems like a good fit, but it’s probably a pipe dream to think he’d consider leaving Duke right now for this situation.
What’s crazy is Michael Malone would have been a good choice. I don’t get the timing here. Why would he turn down the UNC job. Just nuts to me.
Bulls have a fresh start. For a rebuilding team. That’s a good thing. So the coaching search is on .
Thibs coming back?
Party time……
Regardless of whether Bill is coaching or not, that front office stinks.
And you can say that while it’s empty? Nobody knows if it will stink or not until we know who is in it. One thing is for sure is it can’t be any worse than the last 2 have been, That’s a fact. It can be just as bad but not worse. So that’s not really a smart statement.
the spurs and heat have had a combine 5 coaches in the last 30 years….. think hard on why I mention that here.
He got his bag and saw that their is more to life than coaching for a paycheck…
He could see the owners were never going to seriously buy the talent needed to win…