Head coach Billy Donovan may not return to the Bulls next season, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
As Cowley writes, there is “growing momentum” within the organization that Donovan could step away and take time to reassess his future following an emotional year.
“Coach Billy Donovan might not be an option,” Cowley wrote, via Ashish Mathur of Dallas Hoops Journal. “There’s been growing momentum around the building that Donovan could step away from the mess and take a season to re-evaluate what he wants from the profession.”
Cowley noted Donovan endured significant personal loss during the season, with the deaths of both his father and mother-in-law occurring within weeks. At the same time, the Bulls have continued to search for direction on the court.
Donovan, hired in 2020, holds a 224-247 regular-season record with Chicago, along with a 1-4 mark in the playoffs. The Bulls are currently 12th in the Eastern Conference and on track to miss the postseason again.
The roster has undergone significant changes in recent years. Key contributors from the team’s 2022 playoff appearance — including Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic and Alex Caruso — have all been moved, leaving a younger core built around Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis.
Whether Donovan remains part of that transition is now a legitimate question.
He is not believed to be done coaching. But after six seasons without a true top-tier roster, a reset may be under consideration.
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