The Chicago Bulls are signing head coach Billy Donovan to a multiyear contract extension, sources informed ESPN’s Shams Charania on Sunday. Though the workforce confirmed the extension, the monetary phrases and size of the deal haven’t but been revealed.
The Bulls have been negotiating a contract extension with Donovan since final season. Those conversations continued this low season into final week after the New York Knicks expressed curiosity in hiring Donovan for his or her beforehand vacant head coach opening.
“Despite the Bulls’ struggles underneath Donovan, the group values his robust management throughout each stage of the franchise,” wrote Shams Charania.
Billy Donovan rose to fame whereas serving as the top coach of the Florida Gators from 1996 to 2015, the place he helped this system win back-to-back championships. After 19 years at Florida, Donovan turned the top coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, the place he remained from 2015 to 2020, when he and the workforce agreed to mutually half methods. After that, he wound up in Chicago, the place he has had one playoff look in 5 seasons.
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The Bulls are a laughing inventory
This was one of many proudest and best-run organizations in the whole world! But that isn’t the case anymore. Long gone are the times of Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen, and Michael Jordan. Now, the Windy City is caught within the Billy Donovan period and may’t appear to seek out any means out of it.
This contract extension is a mockery of every part that Michael Jordan did for the town of Chicago. Do you suppose MJ would give a contract extension to a coach who hasn’t had a successful season in three years? Absolutely not! For some purpose, although, proprietor Jerry Reinsdorf has chosen to reward mediocrity with more cash and extra job safety. I guess MJ was wrong; cash was solely a difficulty when it got here to paying arguably the best basketball participant of all time.
Billy Donovan has not completed something to raise the gamers or tradition in Chicago. The solely impactful gamers they nonetheless have left from that 2022 playoff look are Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White, Patrick Williams, and Nikola Vučević. However, that quantity may lower if Vučević is released, as rumors would recommend. That would go away Chicago with Patrick Williams (a disappointing former number-four total choose who can’t rebound or put up factors), White, and Dosunmu. White and Dosunmu aren’t unhealthy, however they will solely shine as a result of they’re on a mediocre Bulls squad. They each would have a lot smaller roles in the event that they performed for a championship contender.
Hell, even the workforce’s file proves that this can be a unhealthy choice. Granted, Donovan improved on his win whole from his first season to his second in Chicago. Since then, although, the Bulls have barely sniffed the playoffs and have completed three straight years beneath .500. Plus, they’re 2-3 within the NBA Play-In Tournament and completed this season with none Play-In wins. They’re regressing in high-pressure conditions underneath Donovan’s watch!
The Chicago Bulls are arguably the worst-run workforce within the NBA. They have change into a mediocre franchise that no one takes significantly. The Sacramento Kings may make a case for the highest spot, however they really have expertise on their roster and try to make additions and modifications to change into aggressive. Meanwhile, the Bulls maintain shedding expertise and refusing to make any management modifications. This franchise, which as soon as was the category of the whole sports activities universe, is a joke.
There is one constructive notice about this extension. Bulls followers don’t have to fret about watching any regular-season video games. With Billy Donovan on the helm, Chicago is assured to complete the 2025-26 marketing campaign with a file barely beneath .500 earlier than developing quick within the NBA Play-In Tournament and lacking out on the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season. Hooray for consistency!
