The New York Knicks contacted many teams this week seeking permission to speak to their head coaches after they dismissed former Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau. Among those teams are the Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
All of the teams, including the Bulls, quickly denied permission, showing just how much the Bulls value head coach Billy Donovan despite a mediocre record. However, the Knicks wanting to hire Donovan set a new plan in motion for the Bulls.
Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan
Mar 20, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan looks on during the first quarter of the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images / Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
NBA insider Marc Stein has announced that the Chicago Bulls are in the process of extending Coach Donovan. He has a 195-205 record in his five seasons in Chicago and has only secured one winning season.
"The Knicks' request to speak to Billy Donovan was denied and that appears to have helped spark a new Bulls deal," Stein added. "Donovan's previous extension, said to have one year remaining, was secured entering 2022-23 but not immediately announced until late November of that season."
The Bulls are in the process of extending coach Billy Donovan's contract, league sources tell @TheSteinLine.
Donovan, of course, was one of five coaches under contract that the Knicks sought permission to speak to.
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— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 15, 2025
Donovan will be entering the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame this year in large part due to his contributions as the head coach of the Florida Gators, where he won back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007.
However, Donovan's NBA tenure hasn't been as smooth. He first left the Gators for the Oklahoma City Thunder to coach Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, but his first season was his most successful in the NBA. The 2015-16 season is still his only 50-win season as a coach in the NBA, and the Thunder blew a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals to the Golden State Warriors in the playoffs.
Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan reacts with forward Zach Collins
Apr 13, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan reacts with forward Zach Collins (12) against the Philadelphia 76ers in the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Although he hasn't found much success with the Bulls, they clearly value his teaching ability and think there's something to build on from the last month or so of the season, when the team went 15-6 from March 6th on.
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