Billy Donovan Makes a Decision on Bulls Future After Six Seasons
After six seasons on the sidelines, Billy Donovan has decided it is time to move on from the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls wanted Donovan to stay, especially after making major changes to the front office in recent weeks, but the veteran coach ultimately chose to step down rather than return for another season. Donovan had an option in his contract for next year and, after meeting with ownership several times over the past week, decided this was the right moment to walk away.
It marks the end of a mixed but eventful run in Chicago. Donovan helped guide the Bulls back into playoff contention at times, but the team was never quite able to become a true contender in the Eastern Conference. Now both sides will head in a different direction as Chicago begins another important offseason.
Billy Donovan is stepping away as head coach. pic.twitter.com/Up6S6dd5tL
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) April 21, 2026
The news was confirmed by the Bulls on the X account ending a six year relationship between Donovan and Chicago.
A Look Back at Donovan's Career at Chicago and What Could Be Next?
The end of Billy Donovan's time with the Chicago Bulls feels more like a mutual decision than a firing.
Chicago had reportedly told Donovan he could stay as long as he wanted, but with the front office also being rebuilt, he chose not to remain in place while a new basketball operations group came in above him. Donovan seemed to feel it was better for the franchise if the next decision-maker had the freedom to choose his own coaching staff and shape the organization from the top down.
That is a pretty selfless move considering Donovan easily could have stayed. Even though the Bulls never became a serious contender under him, he was still respected inside the building and around the league.
The bigger issue was that Chicago had become stuck. The team was not bad enough to fully rebuild, but not good enough to compete with the top teams in the East either. One playoff appearance in six seasons simply was not enough, especially for a franchise that expects much more.
Now Donovan becomes one of the more interesting names on the coaching market. He has been connected to college openings before, including jobs at University of Kentucky and University of North Carolina, and there will likely be NBA teams interested too.
For the Bulls, this feels like the beginning of a much bigger reset than just changing coaches.
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This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 3:27 PM.