The Chicago Bulls are officially heading into a new era after the departure of head coach Billy Donovan, who stepped away from the position on April 21, 2026, after six seasons at the helm. The announcement, which followed a week of discussions between Donovan and the Bulls' owners Michael and Jerry Reinsdorf, marks the end of a tenure defined by both loyalty and frustration—a period where the Bulls struggled to recapture their past glory and Donovan wrestled with the realities of rebuilding in the NBA.
Donovan, whose contract included an option year, chose to decline it, resulting in what the team described as a mutual parting of ways. The writing had been on the wall for some time, with Donovan and the Reinsdorfs engaging in a candid heart-to-heart about the future direction of the organization. According to Donovan, "After a series of thoughtful and extensive discussions with ownership regarding the future of the organization, I have decided to step away as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls to allow the search process to unfold. I believe it is in the best interest of the Bulls to allow the new leader to build out the staff as they see fit."
His statement, filled with gratitude, also underscored the deep relationships he built in Chicago. "My gratitude for this community and this organization is permanent. Thank you, Jerry and Michael Reinsdorf, for giving me this opportunity and more importantly, for the relationship that has been forged. I was so blessed to be able to work with such great owners. I owe so much to my players and staff over the last six years. You have all worked side by side with me, day in and day out to drive the Bulls organization forward. And a huge thank you to Bulls fans, your energy, passion and unwavering support provided a home-court advantage that is generally unmatched around the league."
Donovan leaves Chicago with a 226-256 record, a .469 winning percentage, and only one playoff appearance—the 2021-22 season, which ended in a first-round defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks in five games. Despite these modest results, Donovan’s tenure places him fourth on the Bulls’ all-time wins list. But for a coach with a Hall of Fame resume, which now includes induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2025), the lack of postseason success was a persistent frustration.
Throughout his time in Chicago, Donovan was candid about his priorities. At 60, he made it clear he wanted to coach meaningful NBA games in May and June, not just hold exit interviews in April. "When I got into coaching, I never did it for the money piece of it and I never really did it for notoriety," Donovan said recently. "I love the game, I loved competing... I wanted to get into coaching to win and the competing part and trying to [teach] a group of guys how to compete."
But the Bulls, despite being a marquee franchise, have become something of a fixer-upper. The team finished the 2025-26 season with a 31-51 record. The roster, while boasting promising pieces like Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis, remains riddled with holes. The Bulls have ample salary-cap space and own all of their future first-round picks, including a lottery selection in the upcoming draft, but the path to contention is far from clear. The ownership’s reluctance to pay the luxury tax or embrace a full rebuild has left the team in a perpetual state of mediocrity—never quite bad enough to land a generational talent, yet rarely good enough to make a splash in the postseason.
Donovan’s departure was not the only major change for the Bulls this spring. Earlier in April, the organization fired executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas and general manager Marc Eversley, both of whom had presided over a single playoff appearance during their tenure. This leaves the Bulls with three crucial vacancies to fill in the offseason: head coach, general manager, and executive vice president of basketball operations. The team has already begun interviewing candidates for the front office, but the coaching search will only kick off once the new management structure is in place.
Ownership, for its part, was effusive in its praise for Donovan. Jerry Reinsdorf stated, "We wanted Billy to continue as our head coach—that was never in question. But through honest conversations, we all agreed that giving our new head of basketball operations the right to build out his staff was the most important thing for the future of this franchise. That is the kind of person Billy is: He put the Bulls first. We are deeply grateful for everything he has given to this organization."
As for Donovan’s next move, he is not ready to retire just yet. According to reports from ESPN and CBS Sports, Donovan remains interested in coaching, though no specific team or timeline has been announced. He has been linked to potential NBA openings, including the Orlando Magic—an intriguing possibility given his Florida roots and the fact that he once accepted, then backed out of, the Magic job 15 years ago. Donovan also surfaced as a candidate for the University of North Carolina job earlier this spring, but he declined their advances, and the Tar Heels ultimately hired Michael Malone. With possible vacancies looming at blueblood programs like Kentucky, Kansas, or even a return to Florida, Donovan’s options remain open. As one CBS Sports report put it, "He is still a 'viable target,' according to ESPN, if and when more professional jobs open up later this summer."
For the Bulls, the path forward is uncertain but full of potential. The new front office will inherit a team with financial flexibility and draft capital, but also significant roster questions and an ownership group that is famously averse to both overspending and tanking. The search for a new head coach will be critical. Some names, like former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau—who led the team to its last Eastern Conference finals appearance in 2011 and recently guided the Knicks back to prominence—are already being floated in league circles. But until the management offices at the Advocate Center are filled, speculation will remain just that.
As the Bulls embark on this pivotal offseason, the city of Chicago is left to wonder: who will take the reins and steer the franchise back to relevance? For now, the only certainty is change—a clean slate for a team, and a coach, both hungry for a shot at something more meaningful.