Billy Donovan Steps Down as Bulls Coach

Billy Donovan stepped down as Chicago Bulls coach on April 21, ending his six-season run as the team starts over again. (nba.com) The Bulls said they wanted Donovan to stay, but owner Jerry Reinsdorf and president Michael Reinsdorf said a new head of basketball operations should be free to hire his own staff. Donovan said he stepped away “to allow the search process to unfold.” (nba.com) Donovan, 60, was hired in September 2020 after five seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and he signed a multi-year extension in July 2025. ESPN reported he held a contract option for next season and chose to leave after meetings with ownership. (cbsnews.com, espn.com) His Bulls teams went 226-256 and reached the playoffs once, losing in the first round in 2022. Chicago finished 31-51 this season and missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year. (upi.com, espn.com) The move lands two weeks after the Bulls fired executive vice president Artūras Karnišovas and general manager Marc Eversley on April 6. That front office also lasted six seasons and produced one playoff appearance. (nba.com, espn.com) That leaves Chicago looking for both a top basketball executive and a head coach at the same time, with the 2026 draft and free agency ahead. Michael Reinsdorf had said earlier in April that any new executive would need to be “sold on” Donovan, but Donovan chose not to wait for that process. (espn.com) Donovan still leaves with a place in franchise history: his 226 wins rank fourth among Bulls coaches, behind Phil Jackson, Dick Motta and Tom Thibodeau. The record and the timing show how much of Chicago’s next season will now be decided off the court. (espn.com)