The Chicago Bulls are finally entering a serious phase of change. After parting ways with DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine last year, and then Nikola Vučević this year, the Reinsdorf ownership family made further moves and dismissed Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley near the end of the regular season.
Donovan Was Not Fired — He Chose to Leave
Just two weeks later, the changes reached the bench as well. According to ESPN, unlike Karnišovas and Eversley, who were responsible for building the roster, Billy Donovan was not dismissed. He chose on his own to leave one of the NBA’s most storied franchises.
Billy Donovan is stepping away as head coach. pic.twitter.com/Up6S6dd5tL
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) April 21, 2026
The Bulls wanted Donovan back next season. He had an option in his contract to continue, and he also held several meetings with ownership. Still, he stuck with his decision to leave, closing a chapter that failed to deliver the results the organization had hoped for.
A Fresh Start Was the Main Motive
According to the report, Donovan wanted to give the Bulls a chance for a true fresh start. The idea was for the franchise to begin again from the ground up and finally try to regain some stability.
That decision comes after a disappointing stretch in which Chicago reached the playoffs only once in six seasons. For a franchise of this stature, that falls far below expectations, which is why many analysts had already believed it was time for a complete reset — not only on the court, but also in the front office and on the sidelines.
Donovan’s Career and Legacy
Billy Donovan was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2025, largely because of the success he achieved at the University of Florida, where he won two NCAA championships. He entered the NBA as head coach of Oklahoma City, leading the team from 2015 to 2020 before taking over in Chicago.
When he arrived, the Bulls had high ambitions. However, poor contracts and weak draft decisions gradually pushed the team into the play-in tier. This season, even that proved out of reach.
The Bulls Now Without a Coach, President, or General Manager
Chicago now finds itself in an almost complete institutional vacuum. The franchise currently has no president of basketball operations, no general manager, and no head coach.
Still, there is some reason for optimism when it comes to the roster. Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis currently stand out as the team’s leaders, while there are also major expectations surrounding Rob Dillingham, who arrived from Minnesota in February. It may be around this group of players that the Bulls try to build the next phase of their future.
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