After weeks of speculation surrounding Billy Donovan’s future, including reports of a contract extension and rumors linking him to the New York Knicks following Tom Thibodeau’s firing, the Bulls head coach is officially staying in Chicago for the foreseeable future.
The full details of the new contract have not yet been made public, but what is clear is that Donovan will remain the head coach despite a 195-205 record and just one singular playoff win over a span of five seasons with the team.
This raises a few important questions. Why hasn’t ownership come out publicly to announce their commitment to Donovan? Are they really satisfied with continuity and remaining in the middle of the standings each year? Will anything actually change about the way he coaches this struggling team?
We’ll find out the answers to those questions over the next few seasons, but if Donovan wants to show that this extension makes sense for both sides, he’ll need to address three issues that have stood out during his Bulls tenure.
1. Build a Real Offensive Identity
In Donovan’s first four seasons with the Bulls, the offense was very confusing and underwhelming. The team ranked 20th in points per game, 19th in pace, and 25th in three-pointers made.
This past season was almost the complete opposite. The Bulls ranked 6th in scoring, 2nd in pace, and 3rd in three-pointers made per game. There was a clear shift in style, and for once, the numbers backed it up.
But maintaining those numbers with this current roster will be a little more difficult. The team no longer has Lonzo Ball, they parted ways with shooting coach Peter Patton, and they added two below-average shooters in Noa Essengue and Isaac Okoro, putting the offense at risk of returning back to its old tendencies.
If Donovan wants to prove he is the right coach for this group, he needs to show that he can adapt to the modern pace-and-space style of the NBA, regardless of roster changes.
2. Trust and Develop the Young Core
Donovan’s track record with young talent has been one of the biggest frustrations during his time in Chicago. Despite the team’s half attempt at a rebuild, players like Patrick Williams, Dalen Terry, and Julian Phillips never got the consistent minutes or roles they needed to grow.
The Bulls cannot afford to continue that tradition with Matas Buzelis.
Buzelis flashed major potential as a rookie, but Donovan leaned more on the vets in attempt to keep each game close and “competitive”. His usage rate was just 18.1 percent, which ranked eighth on the team, behind guys like Talen Horton-Tucker, Jevon Carter, and Jalen Smith. That simply cannot happen again.
In the 2025-26 season, Donovan must prioritize Buzelis, Essengue, and other young players in the rotation. This is not the time to push for a play-in spot. It is the time to build for the future.
3. Clean Up the Rotations
Rotations have quietly been a problem under Donovan. While some of the inconsistency can be blamed on the roster that included an excessive amount of guards and constant injury issues, there were still too many late game situations and minute distributions that just didn’t make sense.
Kevin Huerter, Patrick Williams, Tre Jones, and Zach Collins all played more minutes than Buzelis. Even worse, there were multiple late-game moments when Donovan subbed out hot players to bring in veterans, showing a lack of trust in the group on the floor.
If ownership was pushing Donovan to stay competitive, that may explain some of the questionable decision-making. But if this upcoming season is really a transition year, then it makes far more sense to let the young core play through mistakes and learn how to be effective in clutch situations.
This season, Donovan’s rotations should reflect growth over caution. Development should be the top priority. Billy Donovan is obviously an all-time great basketball coach, he just needs to show the Chicago Bulls, and the fanbase around them, that he is the right coach for this team.
