Billy Donovan, Chicago Bulls
Getty
Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan looks on during a game against the Charlotte Hornets.
The Chicago Bulls are set to back up their recent actions with a significant decision on head coach Billy Donovan.
After rejecting outside interest, Donovan is set to receive a new contract.
“The Bulls are in the process of extending coach Billy Donovan’s contract, league sources tell @TheSteinLine,” The Stein Line’s Marc Stein reported on X on June 15. “Donovan, of course, was one of five coaches under contract that the Knicks sought permission to speak to.”
Donovan is a Long Island, New York native, and Chicago Sports Network’s K.C. Johnson reported that the Knicks could double back amid potential moving parts for the Bulls.
This all but puts an end to that.
Bulls on CHSN
“There are some whispers out there in the league tonight that the Knicks could circle back.”
@KCJHoop joins @camronsmith and @DavidHaugh on The Chicago Lead with the latest on the Bulls denying the Knicks’ request to interview Billy Donovan.
Donovan is entering his sixth season as the Bulls’ head coach, but he is arguably getting a fresh start, with the team finally parting with Alex Caruso, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine in the past year and Bulls center Nikola Vucevic a likely trade candidate this offseason.
The Bulls are 195-205 under Donovan, with one winning season and one playoff appearance in that span.
This would not be the first time Donovan received an extension under dubious circumstances.
Bulls Repeating History With Billy Donovan
Billy Donovan, Chicago Bulls
GettyChicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan looks on against the Golden State Warriors.
Donovan was a late emergence in the Bulls’ head coaching search in 2020, but Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas reinforced his commitment to the coach at every turn.
The Bulls extended Donovan before the 2022-23 season, despite a dropoff of six wins and failing to follow up on their 2021-22 postseason berth, which snapped a five-season drought.
Still, Karnišovas remains a believer.
“Absolutely,” Karnišovas told reporters in April. “We have a very close relationship, we work very closely together. I thought he’s done unbelievable job to transform this group and accomplish certain goals of changing the way we played last year, and it’s a buy-in from the players’ perspective. They buy in what Billy is trying to teach them, and they respond to it. So, he’s done unbelievable job, and I have full confidence moving forward with Billy.”
Matas Buzelis became just the third rookie in franchise history to finish a game with at least 28 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists on Saturday.
Vindication for Billy Donovan who, to the chagrin of some Bulls fans, chose to bring last summer’s 11th-overall pick along slowly? https://t.co/GBSrz6HTsw pic.twitter.com/956X3G1HDp
— Drew Stevens (@Drew_H_Stevens) March 30, 2025
The Bulls have several pressing roster decisions to make this offseason. None are more critical than Josh Giddey, who is heading for restricted free agency. But they can cross Donovan off the list of uncertainty.
Bulls Bucking Offseason Trend
In retaining and extending Donovan, the Bulls have officially bucked the trend from other also-rans around the league, namely the Knicks, Denver Nuggets, and Memphis Grizzlies, each of whom fired their head coaches despite making the postseason.
The Knicks had their best season in 25 years but fired former Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau anyway.
Memphis dealt with significant injury issues but still parted with Taylor Jenkins.
Perhaps the most stunning (while maybe not as surprising) was Denver, where the Bulls hired Karnišovas from. They fired their GM and head coach just two years removed from winning a championship, and still have three-time MVP Nikola Jokić in his prime.
Lev Akabas
The New York Knicks have let go of head coach Tom Thibodeau
Billy Donovan is now the 3rd longest-tenured head coach in the NBA
Donovan cannot boast the postseason success of those coaches, nor do they have the quality of roster that those teams boast.
As they transition toward a younger group, Donovan’s background is more important than ever.
After a Hall-of-Fame career in the college ranks as the HC of the Florida Gators, Donovan also helmed the Oklahoma City Thunder to surprising postseason runs with rosters written off before the season.
The Bulls might need him to repeat those feats if he is to make questions about his job stability in the face of changes elsewhere go away.