Chicago Bulls and continuity. Or, should I say, the Bulls and mediocracy. By now, everyone, from those around the league to diehard fans to fair-weather fans, knows the Bulls are, and have been, about as mediocre as NBA teams come. And that insistence on remaining in NBA purgatory received yet another boost.
Following the New York Knicks' rash inquiry to meet with Bulls' Head Coach Billy Donovan to fill their head coaching vacancy, NBA Insider Marc Stein reported that Chicago is in the process of extending Donovan.
The Bulls are in the process of extending coach Billy Donovan's contract, league sources tell @TheSteinLine.
Donovan, of course, was one of five coaches under contract that the Knicks sought permission to speak to.
More NBA from me: https://t.co/zUF9RvJwNI
📷: @CHGO_Bulls pic.twitter.com/FLQoDx6k33— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 15, 2025
Amid the Knicks' brashness, Chicago Sports Network's K.C. Johnson provided insight into Chicago's reasoning for denying New York the opportunity to speak with Donovan. Johnson uttered, "The Bulls value Billy Donovan highly for his professionalism, coaching acumen, ability to connect with players, [and] his ability to represent the franchise."
The Bulls' decision to extend Billy Donovan demonstrates incompetence
While Donovan is a respected coach who's gotten the most out of his players, the Bulls' Front Office is making a brazen move of their own. In a world where respected coaches are fired within days of the postseason, and in Tom Thibodeau's case, following Conference Finals appearances, Chicago is unwavering in its approach to retain a coach with a losing record.
Donovan is now the third-longest-tenured coach in the NBA, behind NBA Championship-winning coaches Erik Spoelstra and Steve Kerr. However, unlike Spoelstra and Kerr, and even Mark Daigneault and Tyronn Lue, who were also hired in 2020, Donovan owns a sub-500 win percentage.
The former Oklahoma City Thunder skipper has won 195 of a possible 400 contests. Donovan has led the Bulls to the playoffs once, in 2022, which ended in a 4-1 series defeat at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks. Regular and postseason success has alluded Donovan's Bulls.
Still, regardless of performance, the Bulls' Front Office is nearing signing Donovan to a second extension. After signing the 60-year-old to a four-year, $24 million pact in 2020, Chicago extended Donovan in 2022. Thus, he's due for another.
But just because his contract is running out doesn't mean the Bulls should re-up an underperforming head coach. Despite Donovan's "professionalism and coaching acumen," the results are nowhere to be found. He hasn't enjoyed the requisite success to command a second extension.
Perhaps the Bulls' ownership and front office feel Donovan hasn't been gifted the most competitive roster. Nevertheless, if that were the case, Vice President of Basketball Operations Artūras Karnišovas would be long gone. There's no reasoning to the Bulls' decision-making, and extending Donovan is the latest example.
