The Chicago Bulls are signing head coach Billy Donovan to a multiyear contract extension, sources advised ESPN’s Shams Charania on Sunday. Although the group 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. These 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.
“Regardless of the Bulls’ struggles beneath Donovan, the group values his sturdy management throughout each stage of the franchise,” wrote Shams Charania.
Billy Donovan rose to fame whereas serving as the pinnacle 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 grew to become the pinnacle coach of the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, the place he remained from 2015 to 2020, when he and the group agreed to mutually half methods. After that, he wound up in Chicago, the place he has had one playoff look in 5 seasons.
The Bulls are a laughing inventory
This was one of many proudest and best-run organizations in all the world! However that’s not the case anymore. Lengthy gone are the times of Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen, and Michael Jordan. Now, the Windy Metropolis is caught within the Billy Donovan period and might’t appear to seek out any means out of it.
This contract extension is a mockery of every thing that Michael Jordan did for town of Chicago. Do you suppose MJ would give a contract extension to a coach who hasn’t had a profitable season in three years? Completely not! For some cause, although, proprietor Jerry Reinsdorf has chosen to reward mediocrity with extra money and extra job safety. I suppose MJ was mistaken; cash was solely a problem 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 one impactful gamers they nonetheless have left from that 2022 playoff look are Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White, Patrick Williams, and Nikola Vučević. Nonetheless, that quantity may lower if Vučević is launched, as rumors would counsel. 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 dangerous, however they’ll 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 group’s report proves that this can be a dangerous determination. 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 Event and completed this season with none Play-In wins. They’re regressing in high-pressure conditions beneath Donovan’s watch!
The Chicago Bulls are arguably the worst-run group within the NBA. They’ve develop into a mediocre franchise that no one takes critically. 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 adjustments to develop into aggressive. In the meantime, the Bulls maintain shedding expertise and refusing to make any management adjustments. This franchise, which as soon as was the category of all the sports activities universe, is a joke.
There’s one constructive be aware 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 report barely beneath .500 earlier than arising quick within the NBA Play-In Event and lacking out on the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season. Hooray for consistency!