Billy Donovan steps down as Chicago Bulls start with clean slate in 2026
Billy Donovan steps down as head coach: What's next for the Chicago Bulls?
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has parted ways with the organization. What will the team's next coaching search hold?
CHICAGO - The Chicago Bulls are starting with a clean slate in 2026.
The team has parted ways with head coach Billy Donovan following the end of another losing season, where the Bulls have also fired their front office.
A new era of one of the most iconic franchises in the NBA will begin soon.
What we know:
Donovan and the Bulls mutually agreed to part ways on Tuesday. This comes shortly following the season finale of the 2025-2026 season where the Bull finished with a 31-51 record.
The Bulls had just one winning season under Donovan, his first in Chicago. The Bulls went 46-36 in that season, clinched a playoff berth and lost in the first round of the NBA Playoffs to Milwaukee.
Donovan was never able to get the Bulls back to the playoffs after injuries kept the core of Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic from playing together after that. The Donovan tenure will be regarded as a front office failure, where the head coach did his best with what he had.
In the years after their only playoff berth, Donovan brought the Bulls to the NBA Play-In Tournament. The Bulls never made it past the Play-In Tournament, where the Miami Heat eliminated the Bulls each time.
With the players available to Donovan, the Bull could only limp to the finish line. The Hall of Fame coach can only carry the players so far, when the rest of the roster is comprised of injured starters, developing draft picks and players acquired via trades, where the trading organizations made it clear those players weren’t parts of their futures.
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The Bulls haven’t won 40 games since the 2022-2023 season. Since then, the front office jettisoned LaVine, DeRozan and Alex Caruso before committing to a full fire sale this season and trading Vucevic, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and others.
After all that, the Bulls’ ownership believed in Donovan. They believed in him so much, Bulls President and Chairman Michael Reinsdorf publicly advocated for Donovan’s return in the team’s next search for its basketball decision makers in its front office.
"If I interview someone and they’re not sold on Billy and they’re not sold on a Hall of Fame coach, they’re not sold on a person who has won championships in college, who has gone deep in the playoffs with Oklahoma City, who I believe every year with the Chicago Bulls given the team he was given I think he achieved really good results," Reinsdorf said after firing Karnisovas and Eversley. "Not the results that we wanted, but that’s not because of Billy. If someone’s not interested in Billy as our coach ... then they’re probably not the right candidate for us."
Now, whomever the Bulls tab to lead their front office will have to find a new head coach.
What they're saying:
Donovan and Bulls leadership released statements following the announcement.
Billy 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. My gratitude for this community and this organization is permanent. Thank you Jerry and Michael 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 all have 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."
Jerry Reinsdorf
"Billy Donovan is one of the finest people and coaches I have had the privilege of knowing and working with. He brought class and genuine care to this organization that made a real impact on people. 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."
Michael Reinsdorf
"Over the past six years, Billy Donovan has earned the respect of everyone in our organization, and his impact extended far beyond the court. He brought professionalism, consistency and leadership to our players and our staff every single day. While we clearly wanted Billy to return as our head coach, we had open dialogue about the importance of respecting the process of bringing in new Basketball Operations leadership. Together, we mutually agreed that giving that person the freedom to shape the organization was the best approach for everyone involved. We are grateful for everything he has given to this team and wish Billy and his family all the best."
What's next:
The Bulls’ offseason starts with finding a general manager or head of its basketball operations paired with a general manager.
Whatever path the Bulls choose, finding a head coach comes after that. It’s part of a pivotal offseason for the Bulls.
The NBA Draft Lottery comes next, which could net the Bulls a top draft pick in a loaded class. The Portland Trail Blazers could net the Bulls a second first-round pick if Portland makes the playoffs.
These developments and decisions will go a long way in determining the success of the Chicago Bulls.