Billy Donovan’s Coaching Future in Chicago Hinges on Front Office Overhaul

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan is weighing his future with the team amid a major front office shakeup. After the Bulls fired general manager Marc Eversley and VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas on Monday, team president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf made it clear that any new general manager must support Donovan’s return. The 60-year-old coach has yet to make a final decision but plans to meet with Reinsdorf after the season.

Donovan responded to Reinsdorf’s public backing on Thursday, acknowledging the front office’s stance while also emphasizing the importance of what is best for the franchise. “I think Michael was making the point of how he felt about me,” Donovan said. “But I also understand that, like I said, everybody's got to look out for what is best for the Bulls at that point in time.”

The Bulls have struggled under Donovan’s leadership this season, finishing with a 23-59 record. That mark is the franchise’s worst since the 2011-12 season and the second-worst in the Eastern Conference. The team has not made the playoffs since the 2017-18 season and has missed the postseason in six of the past seven years.

Michael Reinsdorf, who took over as team president in January, has made it clear that Donovan’s tenure will depend on the incoming general manager. “If I interview someone and they're not sold on Billy, they're not sold on a Hall of Fame coach,” Reinsdorf said. “If Billy wants to be our coach and someone's not interested in that, then they're probably not the right candidate for us.”

Donovan, who is entering his sixth season with the Bulls, has a 146-239 record in Chicago. He previously coached the Oklahoma City Thunder for 10 seasons, leading them to a 513-347 record and an NBA Finals appearance in 2012. The Hall of Fame coach has yet to publicly commit to staying in Chicago.

“I love it here,” Donovan said. “I've loved the relationship piece. Not only Jerry and Michael, but the people in the building, the staff. It's been an awesome working environment, and I enjoy it. But we're at this place because we really haven't won a lot.”

The Bulls have a 16.1% chance to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, per the latest lottery odds. With a new general manager expected to be hired this summer, the team is entering a pivotal offseason that could determine the direction of the franchise for years to come.

Donovan will meet with Michael Reinsdorf and Jerry Reinsdorf after the season to discuss his future with the team. The timeline for a new general manager is also unclear, but the position is expected to be filled before the draft.