Bulls Signed Billy Donovan to Unannounced Contract Extension

The Bulls signed coach Billy Donovan to a contract extension ahead of the season, adding to a deal that was set to expire in two years, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Nothing official has been announced by the Bulls.

Donovan, 57, is in his third season with Chicago after five years with the Thunder. He led Florida to a pair of NCAA titles before that. Through Monday, the Bulls had compiled an 86-88 overall record under Donovan.

The Thunder reached the Western Conference finals in his first season as an NBA coach, but he has yet to get past the first round of the playoffs since. The Bulls finished 46-36 last season, good enough for sixth in the East. They were quickly dispatched from the postseason by the Bucks.

“The decision to extend Donovan prior to the season seems a bit odd given he still had two years on his contract,” wrote Michael Kaskey-Blomain of CBS Sports. “They could have easily waited until next offseason before doing so in order to see how the team fared this season. Equally odd is not announcing that you have signed your head coach to a contract extension.”