The Chicago Bulls are taking some proactive steps to keep their head coach, Billy Donovan, around for another season.
After the New York Knicks decided to part ways with Tom Thibodeau at the end of the 2024-25 season, they started looking for a new coach. And Billy was among those names.
However, the Bulls weren’t having it and declined the Knicks’ request to interview him.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Chicago is currently working on a contract extension for Donovan.
The Bulls are in the process of extending coach Billy Donovan's contract, league sources tell @TheSteinLine.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 15, 2025
Donovan, of course, was one of five coaches under contract that the Knicks sought permission to speak to.
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At 60 years old, he has just one year left on his current deal, and the Bulls are eager to make sure they don’t get caught up in the usual offseason coaching drama.
Donovan has been with the Bulls since 2020 and has coached the team for 400 games. Before coming to Chicago, he had a successful stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He even led the Florida Gators in college basketball.
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While his time with the Bulls has seen its ups and downs, he has a record of 195-205 and led the team to the playoffs once; he’s been a steady presence. The team’s performance has been a bit challenging lately, finishing with a 39-43 record in the last two seasons.
So it makes sense that the Bulls want to hold onto Donovan and keep building for the future.
HC Billy Donovan Still Has Plenty To Offer The Bulls
Despite the recent hiccups, the Bulls’ front office remains confident in what Billy Donovan could bring to the table.
Donovan took the Bulls to the playoffs once, back in the 2021-22 season. That was a special year as the franchise brought together the exciting core of Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic.
They started strong and were a top team in the Eastern Conference until Ball’s serious injury sidetracked their hopes. They made it to the playoffs as the sixth seed but fell to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round.
Since that playoff appearance, the Bulls have struggled to make it back, missing the play-in tournament for the last three seasons. However, the front office remains optimistic, trusting that Donovan can help steer the team back into contention.
They saw some improvement as the 2024-25 season wrapped up. And with a young roster that includes promising players like Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, and Coby White, there’s reason for hope.
