CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls aren’t making major changes anytime soon.
The roster might see some mild overturn this summer as the Bulls add a rookie with the No. 12 draft pick next Wednesday and shop several players in potential trades. But team leadership is expected to stay the same from top to bottom as the Bulls prepare to rebuild — again — around young players such as Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis.
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Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan watches the action against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 27 at the United Center in Chicago. As Donovan nears extension, will their patience with coach pan out? Terrence Antonio James, Chicago Tribune/TNS
That continuity includes coach Billy Donovan, who is currently negotiating a contract extension, per a league source, with the expectation of keeping the newly elected Hall of Famer in Chicago on another long-term deal.
An extension for Donovan, whom the Bulls hired in September 2020, would continue the third-longest current tenure among NBA coaches. He trails only the Miami Heat’s Erik Spoelstra, who succeeded Pat Riley in April 2008, and the Golden State Warriors’ Steve Kerr, hired in May 2014.
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Even after another losing season, the front office’s continued commitment to Donovan should come as no surprise. Earlier this month the Bulls declined the New York Knicks’ request to interview Donovan — one of many declined invitations as the Knicks struggle to fill their dance card after firing Tom Thibodeau three days after their first trip to the Eastern Conference finals since 2000 ended.
Executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas never has wavered in his faith that Donovan is the correct coach to helm the Bulls.
For a team looking to build around young talent, Donovan does appear to be a natural fit. Buzelis, Giddey and Coby White have credited him for their substantial improvements. And Donovan’s ability to develop a new style of offense in 2024-25 showed how he can mold his system to fit the available personnel.
“We have a very close relationship,” Karnišovas said during exit interviews in April. “We work very closely together. I thought he’s done an unbelievable job to transform this group and accomplish certain goals of changing the way we played last year.
“From the players’ perspective, they buy into what Billy’s trying to teach them and they respond to him. He’s done an unbelievable job and I have full confidence moving forward with Billy.”
But despite their vocal support, the Bulls haven’t always been transparent about their dealings with Donovan.
They quietly extended his contract in 2022 without an announcement. The deal wasn’t reported until long after the ink had dried. This year’s extension talks have been less furtive, but the roadmap for Donovan’s future in Chicago remains unclear as he potentially approaches another multiyear deal.
The Bulls’ loyalty to Donovan is no surprise — and neither is the continued commitment to Karnišovas and general manager Marc Eversley. Both are also due for contract extensions this summer that likely would coincide with a new deal for Donovan.
Bulls guard Lonzo Ball with coach Billy Donovan as he is taken out in the fourth quarter against the Hornets at the United Center on Dec. 13, 2024.
Bulls guard Lonzo Ball with coach Billy Donovan as he is taken out in the fourth quarter against the Hornets on Dec. 13, 2024, at the United Center in Chicago. John J. Kim, Chicago Tribune/TNS
Extending the tenure of Karnišovas and Eversley might seem unearned after a third consecutive losing season and play-in tournament meltdown. But for the Reinsdorf family, this is par for the course.
This is not an ownership group inclined toward quick action. Former executive vice president John Paxson and GM Gar Forman were afforded a decade together before their reign ended. Karnišovas and Eversley, who were hired in the spring of 2020, might not have quite as long of a leash, but the team’s preference for stability hasn’t changed even with the mediocre results under current management.
Sometimes patience is pragmatic. The original blueprint under Karnišovas and Eversley was heavily derailed by significant injuries in the 2021-22 season. And the current stable of young players offers some hope for what the Bulls can build.
But the only true reward for patience is meaningful success in the postseason — not play-in tournament games or buzzer-beater highlights.
Until Karnišovas, Eversley and Donovan can deliver that type of success, the trio will remain under heavy scrutiny from Bulls fans — regardless of their stability on Madison Street.
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