Billy Donovan Leaves Bulls as Franchise Makeover Continues

The Bulls’ gut renovation continues. 

Head coach Billy Donovan is stepping down from his position after six seasons, ESPN reported Tuesday. 

Donovan’s decision came after both president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas and general manager Marc Eversley were fired on April 6. Donovan, who had an option in his contract for next season, according to ESPN, reportedly quit after multiple meetings with team ownership over the past week. Donovan and the front office had just one playoff appearance in their combined six-year tenure. 

Chicago becomes the third NBA team to have a head coach opening, joining New Orleans and Milwaukee. The Bulls have already requested permission to interview a number of candidates to lead their front office including Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd, Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lindsey, Hawks senior vice president Bryson Graham, and Spurs assistant GM Dave Telep, according to ESPN. 

Bulls CEO and president Michael Reinsdorf told reporters earlier this month that the new front office lead would have to accept Donovan as their head coach. Reinsdorf also floated Donovan to the front office in a similar transition to the one Celtics GM Brad Stevens made. Instead, the Hall of Fame coach elected for a clean break, giving the new front office a chance to hire its own coach. 

“If I interview someone and they’re not sold on Billy, they’re not sold on a Hall of Fame coach,” Reinsdorf told reporters. “They’re not sold on a person who’s won championships in college, who’s gone deep in the playoffs with Oklahoma City. … If Billy wants to be our coach and someone’s not interested in that, then they’re probably not the right candidate for us.”

The Bulls have been in NBA purgatory for years. The team hasn’t made the playoffs in four years, but has also refused to tank, making them regulars in the play-in tournament. In February, the team finally pivoted towards a rebuild, trading away starters such as Coby White and Nikola Vučević, but received no first-round picks in return. The transactions also left the roster guard-heavy, with no players being taller than 6-foot-9. 

The team also waived guard Jaden Ivey, for “conduct detrimental to the team” after Ivey went on a series of livestreamed rants that included anti-gay comments. The Ivey meltdown reportedly played a role in Karnišovas and Eversley losing their jobs. 

There are some positives. Chicago has $58 million in cap space this summer to rebuild the roster and will have two first-round picks in the top-15 of a loaded draft. 

But the new regime could deal with the same challenges the past ones have. The franchise hasn’t been the same since it traded away Jimmy Butler to Minnesota in 2017. In the 25-year history of the luxury tax, the franchise has paid it only once.