Head coach Billy Donovan appears to be at a crossroads with the Chicago Bulls as the NBA regular season winds down.

More News: Bulls owner appears to receive ultimatum from Billy Donovan

Unlike the previous few years, the Bulls have no Play-In Tournament to prepare for after trading its core trio this season. Donovan appears frustrated with the front office, and the ramifications of the failed Jaden Ivey trade might have been the final straw for the Basketball Hall of Fame coach.

Donovan has been connected to the North Carolina head coaching search ever since the Tar Heels parted ways with Hubert Davis. Donovan, a two-time national champion at Florida, would be a huge get for UNC.

However, Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd had appeared to be the number one target for the Tar Heels.

Per Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, Lloyd rejected a “top-two contract” at UNC to sign a contract to stay at Arizona.

“Sources: UNC offered Tommy Lloyd a top-two contract in CBB. Lloyd took less to stay, but will still bump up to $7.2 million starting next season,” Norlander posted on X. “Staff pool also will get a huge bump + incentives brought back to their contract structures. He’ll also no longer report to the AD.”

Chicago Bulls HC Billy Donovan could leave for UNC

With Lloyd’s rejection, the door stays open for Donovan.

So does the pay. North Carolina was willing to offer Lloyd over $8 million. Kansas head coach Bill Self makes $8.8 million per year. Arkansas head coach John Calipari makes $8 million.

Donovan has the leverage to ask for a better contract from UNC than what Lloyd would have received, as Donovan has the rings and a HOF resume at the college level.

The Bulls will end their regular season against the Dallas Mavericks on April 12, five days after the transfer portal is set to open for college basketball on April 7.

Donovan could be behind in the portal, but his pedigree should help UNC in the future if he decides to leave the Bulls for college.

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Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan is at a crossroads in April.

The Bulls are set to miss the playoffs, and their prospects of being competitive anytime soon are slim after trading away Coby White, Nikola Vucevic, and Ayo Dosunmu.

In six seasons in Chicago, Donovan, a Basketball Hall of Fame coach, has made the playoffs just one time before losing in the first round to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Amid the end of the season coming up for the Bulls, Donovan has been mentioned as a plausible candidate for North Carolina, an option that would make sense for a two-time national champion with the Florida Gators.

Per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, it appears Donovan has an ultimatum of sorts for owner Jerry Reinsdorf. He can either fire executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas or Donovan will leave after the season.

Chicago Bulls have a decision to make on Billy Donovan

After the fallout of the Jaden Ivey drama with the Bulls (which Karnisovas was warned about from the Detroit Pistons), Donovan appears to be losing his patience with the front office.

“If Karnisovas stays, there’s a growing chance that Donovan walks at the end of the season,” Cowley wrote. “Then the Reinsdorfs will leave Karnisovas with a coaching search, a lottery draft choice, and free agent decisions with money to spend.

“This front office can’t even get trade dumps at the deadline right, let alone being trusted to map out the immediate future of an organization that has gone from bad to national embarrassment.”

The wise move for the Bulls would be to fire Karnisovas regardless of what Donovan does this offseason. Chicago needs a new leader to rebuild the roster.

Frankly, it would be hard for Donovan and fans to stomach a few more losing seasons together.

The Bulls blew it up with the roster at the trade deadline. This spring, it’s time to clean house with the front office and maybe at the head coach.

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The Chicago Bulls have not been doing too well on the court, but they are in a position where things are not looking too well. On Monday evening, guard Jaden Ivey had a livestream on social media where he had some anti-LGBTQ things to say. Chicago’s front office would have issues with it, and this would result in him being released from his contract soon after.

Ivey has been vocal about his beliefs over the last few months, but this seemingly was going too far. Let’s take a look at what his coach said about the situation.

Billy Donovan addresses the Chicago Bulls’ release of Jaden Ivey

The Bulls are on the road for their Monday game against the San Antonio Spurs, but the team needed to address the Ivey situation. Before the game, Bulls coach Billy Donovan met with the media and discussed the situation.

“I think there’s a certain level of standards and expectations that are here. I mean, we have people from all different walks of life working in the building and players from all different walks of life, right? So, the first thing is, everybody comes with their own personal experiences. But one is, we’ve got to all be professional. I think there’s got to be a high level of respect for one another, and we got to help each other and then be accountable to those standards.”

Ivey has played four games for the Bulls since being traded to the team last month. However, he was shut down earlier this month with a knee injury. In 37 total games between the Detroit Pistons and Bulls, Ivey averaged 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 0.6 steals in 18.1 minutes per game. Now that he is a free agent, it will be interesting to see how his career plays out. Teams could still be interested in him for next season, but do not be surprised to see some teams afraid of the baggage associated with Ivey.

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The Chicago Bulls are officially eliminated from playoff contention this season and with seven games left, the focus shifts to the offseason. Chicago is currently ninth in the NBA draft lottery with a 20.4 percent chance to get into the top four.

With this being considered a loaded draft, it’s a great opportunity for the Bulls to land a potential future star. But the future of head coach Billy Donovan is up in the air as well.

Reports last week surfaced that Donovan could resign at the end of this season. Then days later, Donovan was connected to the open North Carolina job. That momentum continues to pick up as well.

Billy Donovan is the better favorite on prediction markets for UNC job

As North Carolina’s coach search rolls on, we do know that Donovan’s name has been brought up in connection with the job. North Carolina has been pretty quiet but the top two candidates are rumored to be Michigan’s Dusty May and Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd. As both are going to the Final Four, UNC will have to wait a bit.

But for Donovan, they may not have to wait long. Depending on who you ask, there’s belief that Donovan would take the job if offered. Prediction markets are leaning towards Donovan as the favorite.

As of right now, when this is being published, Donovan is at 32 percent chance on Kalshi, “North Carolina Basketball – Next Head Coach” prediction. Oddly enough, Rick Pitino is second at 29 percent along with Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd.

Now, this is just a prediction market and as The Athletic writes, here’s why it’s interesting:

We’re talking about Kalshi because prediction markets are open to more speculative topics than their highly regulated cousins, sportsbooks, which are often precluded, or even reluctant, from offering markets that are so vulnerable to insider information.

Traditional sportsbooks don’t usually offer odds on speculative storylines or on what group chats are discussing, such as who will be a team’s next coach or where a player will be traded, whereas prediction markets tend to target exactly those topics. Whether they are accurate is more of an open question. (And also opens up a philosophical debate of the meaning of “accurate,” i.e., they are “accurate” about what people think is going to happen, but may not be accurate on the final result.)

It doesn’t mean that Donovan will be the head coach. It could change as the money comes in on the site as well. But it is notable that Donovan is leading the way here with this market.

This storyline will be something to watch the rest of the offseason.

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The past 36 hours or so have been interesting for the Chicago Bulls and head coach Billy Donovan. After a report from the Chicago Sun-Times hinted that Donovan could resign from the franchise, the head coach was then connected to the open North Carolina job.

Donovan continues to be a hot name in North Carolina’s new coaching search. Whether he’s seriously interested or is a legit candidate is still to be determined. But even with this news, players hear it. On Wednesday, the Bulls responded with a historically bad quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers.

And it wasn’t pretty.

Chicago Bulls, Billy Donovan make history in a bad way

We know the Bulls are in a rebuild. They did it too late, which means probably another few more years of struggling. Will Donovan want to be a part of that? The team certainly looked disinterested in Wednesday’s loss to the 76ers.

In that loss, the Bulls gave up a franchise record 51 points in the third quarter. They eventually lost the game 157-137, giving up the most points they have all season.

76ers 157, Bulls 137

Bulls never led, allowed a franchise-record 51 points in the 3rd and allowed their most points in a game this season

Giddey 1 rebound shy of triple double
Bulls scored franchise-record 52 in 4th

Embiid 35 pts
George 28 pts

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) March 26, 2026

Yikes.

Wednesday’s game may not have fully been a response to the Donovan rumors but this team flat out looked bad. Piling up the loses is usually a good thing for a team trying to get into the lottery. The only problem? The Bulls are going to be sitting 9th or 10th due to them winning early games this season.

It’s unlikely the Bulls can get to the 8th spot in the lottery and it looks like they will need a miracle to move up. Add in a potential looming decision from Donovan and it’s shaping up to be another interesting offseason.

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The North Carolina Tar Heels have made a significant change by firing Hubert Davis on Tuesday. One of the potential candidates whose name is floating around is Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan. After a successful college basketball coaching career, Donovan has made his name as an NBA coach. Let’s take a closer look as one outlet dissected the pros and cons of him leaving Chicago for North Carolina.

CBS Sports discusses pros & cons of UNC hiring Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan

Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports wrote an article discussing the pros and cons of some of the more notable Tar Heels coach candidates. He named a few coaches, including Nate Oats, Dusty May, and Tommy Lloyd, but he also included Donovan. Below is what he wrote about why the pairing would make sense.

“There are only four coaches who have won back-to-back National Championships: John Wooden, Mike Kryzewski, Dan Hurley and Billy Donovan. If North Carolina is series about making the ultimate splash hire, Donovan fits the bill. Donovan’s future with the Chicago Bulls is also cloudy. While he did quietly sign an extension last July, the Bulls are mired in mediocrity and facing a long rebuild. North Carolina could serve as a new challenge and a breath of fresh air after years of being destined for the play-in.”

However, there are some cons for Donovan to leave to go back to college basketball. The collegiate world has no breaks with recruiting, and NIL is now a major factor. Trotter also mentions some of this in the cons section.

“Donovan, simply, could be done with the college game altogether, especially one that includes a 12-month grinding schedule with little downtime. He’s been in the NBA for 11 years, and he’s still chasing that elusive title.”

Donovan is a three-time SEC Coach of the Year winner and won the 2005-06 and 2006-07 National Championships with the Florida Gators. However, he left following the 2014-15 season with a career 502-206 (.709) record. It is difficult to imagine him heading back into the college basketball game, but it will be intriguing to see if he shows any interest or puts the rumors straight to bed.

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The Chicago Bulls are heading for another offseason with a pick outside of the top four in the NBA Draft and another year of a rebuild. Even with Chicago trading off key pieces at the deadline, it was a little too late.

As the season winds down, a report from Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times stated that there’s growing belief that Billy Donovan could resign this year. Donovan has been with the team since the 2020 season and has been here for this version of the rebuild.

With the North Carolina job open, Donovan is already being connected to that job. And the latest report suggests that he is being advised to get out of Chicago.

Billy Donovan is being advised to get out of Chicago Bulls situation

After the Tar Heels decided to move on from Hubert Davis, Jeff Goodman of the Field of 68 offered his take on candidates. He mentioned Donovan as someone who UNC could look at. But he took it a step further.

Goodman stated that there are people around Donovan advising him to get out of the Bulls’ situation.

“I was texting with Billy Donovan earlier… He’s got a lucrative contract with the Bulls right now. But there are a ton of people in his circle that have told him to get out of there”

"I was texting with Billy Donovan earlier… He's got a lucrative contract with the Bulls right now, but there are a ton of people in his circle that have told him to get out of there"@GoodmanHoops on the North Carolina search

: https://t.co/Cm0rEC8no0 pic.twitter.com/G7JZNbvdWC

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 25, 2026

Donovan found success at the college level, winning back-to-back national championships with Florida. But he hasn’t coached in the college game since the 2014-15 season. Goodman also stated that Donovan is a loyal guy and is in the middle of his contract with the Bulls. It feels like it would have to be a mutual agreement between himself and Jerry Reinsdorf.

The head coach is already being connected to that UNC job with an ESPN report suggesting the Tar Heels are going to “aggressively pursue him” in the coaching search.

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On Tuesday, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan could be headed for the exit door soon.

Momentum is building for Donovan to resign his post amid another failed season in Chicago.

The Bulls committed to tanking at the trade deadline, and the rebuild will not be as swift as a Hall of Fame coach might tolerate.

On Tuesday evening, a job that might pique the interest of Donovan opened up.

Per Pete Nakos of On3, North Carolina decided to part ways with Hubert Davis after No. 6 seed UNC blew a lead to No. 11 seed VCU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Per Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, Donovan is expected to listen to an offer from UNC.

“One source told CBS Sports that Donovan would, at the very least, listen and be intrigued by the potential to coach at North Carolina,” Norlander wrote. “Donovan previously passed on courtships from other big college jobs, but North Carolina is the one school that Donovan has always held in especially high regard.”

Chicago Bulls could lose Billy Donovan to UNC

Donovan deserved to make the Basketball Hall of Fame, but it wasn’t for his effort in the NBA.

Donovan went 35-20 in two seasons at Marshall before taking over at Florida in 1996. He won two national titles with the Gators and went 467-186 at UF. He made the Final Four three times before jumping to the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Bulls have made the playoffs just one time since he joined in 2020. Chicago lost in the first round of the 2022 playoffs to the Milwaukee Bucks.

It would make sense for Donovan to leave Chicago this offseason. He’d likely have more success with UNC than he would with another open NBA job during this hiring cycle.

And North Carolina could pay some big bucks.

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The Chicago Bulls took a step backward in their tank mission on Monday when they beat the Houston Rockets 132-124 in front of 21,395 fans at the United Center.

The win improved the Bulls’ record to 29-42, a rather useless win for  a team now tied with the Milwaukee Bucks for No. 11 in the Eastern Conference.

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan is doing his best to win with the patchwork roster he was given after the trade deadline when Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, and Ayo Dosunmu were traded away.

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times suggested Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas might soon field the blame, allowing Donovan to keep players like Colin Sexton on the court too long to aid in needless wins.

Billy Donovan could leave the Chicago Bulls soon

Cowley also dropped a nugget that there is “momentum” building that Donovan might soon resign from his position.

“Coach Billy Donovan might not be an option,” Cowley wrote, of where Karnisovas could point the finger. “There’s been growing momentum around the building that Donovan could step away from the mess and take a season to re-evaluate what he wants from the profession.

“It would make sense considering how emotional the year has been for the Hall of Famer, losing both his father and mother-in-law within weeks of each other. Plus, while Donovan is the ultimate optimist and isn’t close to being done coaching, it is now six seasons without a proven elite talent.”

Donovan has been with the Bulls since 2020, reaching the playoffs just one time in 2022, the only season Chicago has had a winning record under the Hall of Fame basketball coach.

It would be interesting to see if Donovan would have any interest in going back to the college ranks. It’s possible that North Carolina and Kansas will have openings this spring.

Maybe the coach could cut bait and take a major college job within weeks.

For More Chicago Sports:

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Billy Donovan is set to wrap up his sixth season as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls and it’s been another year of the rebuild. The Bulls are set to be in the lottery again and another year of disappointment.

Chicago is committed to Donovan despite a tear down after the trades they made. The two sides agreed to a contract extension this past July to keep Donovan here longer but there could be an opportunity for him in the college game. And it’s with one of the most prestigious programs in the game.

With North Carolina expected to move on from Hubert Davis, Donovan’s name will likely come up as a candidate. Some are already connecting him to the job.

Will UNC pursue Billy Donovan?

The Tar Heels blowing a 19-point lead to VCU in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday may have been it for Davis. Per multiple reports, the program is leaning towards moving on from the head coach after five seasons. No official lists of replacements are out there yet but one writer believes Donovan should be a candidate.

Bill Bender of The Sporting News listed Donovan among his candidates:

Donovan, 60, is the oldest candidate on this list. He’s also the only one with two national championships. He won two national championships at Florida. He has been a NBA coach with Oklahoma City and Chicago – but the Bulls are close to missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season. Donovan could return to the college game – and maybe he should – and UNC would be a good landing spot.

He makes a good point. Donovan does have college experience, and a lot of it. He led Florida to back-to-back national championships and proved to be a really good coach at the college level.

Donovan made the jump to the NBA level in 2015 where he took the Oklahoma City Thunder job until 2020. In his college career, Donovan went 502-206 over 21 seasons.

It’s very early and there are no indications that Donovan is even interested in the North Carolina job. However, don’t be surprised if his name does pop up at some point if the job is open.

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The Chicago Bulls still can’t get over their slump. They now have an 11-game losing streak, the longest in the NBA. Head coach Billy Donovan and his men had the worst month in franchise history as they went 0-11 in February.

Chicago’s 11th straight defeat came at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers as they lost 121-112. Seven out of the nine players who played against the Blazers scored double digits, but it wasn’t enough to get the win. However, the Bulls also committed 20 turnovers compared to Portland’s 12. 

Matas Buzelis was also expected to perform after coming off a career night. This time around, he scored 20 points but shot only 37.5% from the field and had four turnovers. He was still the Bulls’ leading scorer in this game, but Portland still won. 

Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan keeps it real after their 11th straight loss

Donovan says he is still trying to figure out how to push his team to come together and get the win. He still wants to focus on developing the young guys and their teamwork, not instilling a tanking mindset. Despite everything, he said that he’s not unaware of the situation of a future draft pick at stake.

“The discussions I had with [the front office] when the trade deadline was finalized was, ‘Nothing has changed, try and get these guys to play to the best of their ability; we know it’s going to be somewhat challenging with seven new players,’ ’ Donovan said. “Even talking to ownership, it’s been, ‘Hey, go out there and do your very best.’ There has been no indication from ownership or the front office of, ‘Hey, listen, if we finish here, here or here’ or ‘Listen, don’t worry about playing these guys; just play these guys.’ There’s been none of that at all.”

Donovan’s statement came after the unfortunate news regarding Chicago’s all-time worst month in franchise history. At the same time, however, Donovan understands how this works in their favor, potentially increasing their chances of success in the draft lottery.

“Philosophically, I get the dynamics once June, whatever date that draft date is, I get how that impacts all of that,” he continued. “It’s not like I’m sitting over there saying, ‘Well, it’s a close game right now, let’s sit Josh [Giddey] and Tre [Jones] and Jalen [Smith].’ There has not been that. And I think if I did do that, they would say, ‘Listen, you need to put the best guys out there.’ ’’

Donovan will surely have a rough couple of months ahead. One goal is certain: snap the losing streak so they can get out of the bad side of the Bulls’ record books. As for their future, they certainly have a handful of young players they can build around. 

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Matas Buzelis has emerged as a bright spot for the struggling Chicago Bulls this season. The second-year forward has played and started in all 59 games this year, and he has been performing well. 

The NBA G League Ignite alum is averaging 15.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 blocks this season. His scoring has increased significantly compared to his average of 8.6 points last season. Buzelis has also improved his efficiency. From 45.4% shooting as a rookie, he is now up to 47.4% from the field.

Unfortunately for the Bulls, they are struggling to stay afloat this season. They have lost their 10th straight game after their loss to the Charlotte Hornets.

Prior to the game, head coach Billy Donovan had a chat with Buzelis, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The young forward went to the Bulls’ practice facility to get some work in, and Donovan pulled him in to have “the talk.” They basically talked about Buzelis’ shot selection and how he has to stay aggressive.

This heart-to-heart played a pivotal role in Buzelis’ career night.

Matas Buzelis continues to soar for the Chicago Bulls

The Bulls stay firm at the 12th spot of the Eastern Conference standings. After their 10th straight loss, they are now four games behind the last play-in spot. Despite the loss, Buzelis came in and scored his career high of 32 points. He was also efficient, shooting 13-of-19 from the field and 6-of-11 from three. Buzelis topped it off with seven rebounds, two assists and one steal.

After the game, Donovan says he approves of Buzelis’ shot selection against the Hornets.

‘‘He got into the paint area and made some shots, got to the basket and made some drives,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘That’s what he’s got to do: play more off the dribble to score. I thought he was very efficient and decisive.

‘‘If you look at the really good offensive players and scorers in this league, they are hard to guard because you really are not sure what they are going to do — go by you, step back, shoot a three, shot-fake. It’s hard to handle those high-level offensive players. I’ve talked to Matas. He has to be shiftier and craftier with the basketball.’’

Buzelis acknowledged his talk with Donovan but said he didn’t want to get into details of what they talked about.

‘‘I’m going to be what the team needs me to be,’’ he said. ‘‘If that’s scoring, that’s what it’s going to be. I try to figure out during the game what the team needs, and [Tuesday] it was scoring.

The 21-year-old is still a bright spot for the Bulls. He can continue to focus on improving, albeit in a losing situation. 

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Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan did not mince words after Tuesday’s defeat. The Bulls dropped their 10th consecutive game, falling 131-99 to the visiting Charlotte Hornets. They slipped to 24-35 and 12th in the Eastern Conference.

Matas Buzelis provided the lone highlight, erupting for a career-high 32 points on 13-of-19 shooting. But even that breakout performance did little to hide the deeper issues that have plagued Chicago all season.

After another disappointing outcome at home, Donovan stepped to the podium and addressed the elephant in the room. He called for full accountability from everyone in the building, coaches and players alike.

Chicago Bulls: Billy Donovan calls out turnover woes as skid continues

Donovan singled out the team’s sloppy ball-handling after the game. The Bulls coughed up the ball 19 times against the Hornets. Josh Giddey and Patrick Williams were the main culprits with five and four, respectively.

It has been an ongoing problem all season. Chicago ranks among the league’s worst in turnovers, surrendering the ball an alarming 14.8 times per game.

“The turnovers are a problem — they are a major problem, and we have to continue to get that resolved,” Donovan said, via the Chicago Sun-Times. “When there are mistakes that are made and they are constantly compounded, I think it takes away the fuel and the gas from our team, and we’ve got to be tougher than that.”

The Hornets made Chicago pay for those costly errors. Brandon Miller poured in 23 points while Kon Knueppel added 21. Former Bull Coby White also chipped in 10 points off the bench in his Hornets debut. He was making his first appearance after recovering from a calf strain following a mid-season trade.

Meanwhile, Donovan made clear that the solution requires a collective effort.

“We’ve also got to be more responsible than that. All of us, coaches and players, have to do a much better job in terms of trying to help one another. I sensed the frustration [in the third quarter] and being deflated,” he said.

If the Bulls have any hope of reaching the play-in, solving the turnover problem has to start now.

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The Chicago Bulls are struggling as of late, as they have not won a game since Jan. 31. Newcomer Rob Dillingham can’t seem to be a consistent piece off the bench for head coach Billy Donovan. 

During their loss against the New York Knicks, the Bulls’ ninth straight defeat, Dillingham only scored eight points. He also got four rebounds, four assists and two steals in 24 minutes of game time. He had a few good moments during the game but ultimately failed to help the Bulls snap their losing streak.

Despite that, he might have more playing time in the next few games. Guards Josh Giddey and Tre Jones are still on minutes restrictions as they just came back from injuries.

Chicago Bulls coach keeps it real with Rob Dillingham

The Bulls welcomed a total of seven players during a busy NBA trade deadline. As for Dillingham, the move to Chicago serves as a breath of fresh air. The former eighth overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft played sparingly for the Minnesota Timberwolves. In 35 games for the Wolves this year, he has averaged only 3.5 points in just 9.3 minutes per game.

After his move to Chicago, Dillingham already played an average of 19.3 minutes per game. He also already improved his scoring to 7.8 points per game while shooting 43% from the field. Despite that, Donovan has still called out the second-year point guard.

“He’s going to have to learn that what gets you here doesn’t keep you here, and what gets you here doesn’t necessarily take you to a next step,” Donovan said after Sunday’s the loss to the Knicks. “As the talent gap shrinks, you have to make adjustments and changes.

“He’s so explosive and so fast with the ball [that] probably for most of his career, no one could keep him in front. He probably got to the rim whenever he wanted to, and he could use his athleticism to go finish. Now, all of a sudden, he can’t do that all the time.”

Donovan still believes Dillingham can improve into a great player, considering his athletic prowess.

“There’s balance where you don’t want to take away a guy’s aggressiveness by yanking him,” Donovan continued. “He’s really gifted and talented and has great speed. This is going to be the evolution for him as a player, because with his size [he’s listed at 6-2], there are certain things he can’t do at the basket.

“What he can do is make everyone else around him better, and that’s what we have to work with him on without taking away the aggressiveness.”

Dillingham still has plenty of time to prove he is worthy of being in the NBA.

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The Chicago Bulls are now on a nine-game slump after losing to the New York Knicks. Despite their struggles, Matas Buzelis continues to be a bright spot for the Bulls. The second-year forward has played and started in all 58 games for the Bulls this season. He is averaging 15.0 points per game on 46.8% shooting. Buzelis also averages 5.4 rebounds a game and he leads the Bulls in blocks with 1.5.

The Bulls were among the busiest teams at the NBA trade deadline. Which means players have been in and out of the lineup with no real consistency. Additionally, injuries are also a problem for the struggling Bulls. Fortunately for head coach Billy Donovan, Buzelis has been the consistent piece in his puzzle this year.

Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan pushes Matas Buzelis

In their loss against the Knicks, Buzelis led the Bulls with 15 points. Unfortunately, he had an off night from the field, shooting only 33.3%. Despite that, Donovan still believes that he is helping their guys develop — especially Buzelis.

‘‘It’s been a lot harder on Matas, but I think in a good way,’’ Donovan said, via the Chicago Sun Times. ‘‘When Coby [White] was here and Ayo [Dosunmu] was here and ‘Vooch’ [Nikola Vucevic] was here, even though [Buzelis] got into the starting lineup, he’s now starting to see the best defenders in the league night in and night out. I think that’s a great opportunity for him to make a jump because he’s starting to learn a lot.”

‘‘The consistency of being able to perform at a really high level against really good defenders and good players is something he’s kind of gotten thrust into, and I do think that because of his makeup and competitiveness, how much he leans into that, that could really help him.’’

Buzelis is already blossoming as one of the Bulls’ core young players. The Chicago native is on an upward trend, having already nearly doubled his point production from last year. Donovan is clearly optimistic about Buzelis’ improvement, especially with the looks that the 6-foot-8 forward has been getting lately.

As for the Bulls, what better way to get another Chicago native to build for the future? The 21-year-old said that he found motivation through Bulls legend Derrick Rose. This is great for the organization, as he understands what it means to win with the Bulls.

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The Chicago Bulls roster looks a little wonky after the trade deadline.

More News: Bulls HC Billy Donovan pessimistic on team outlook

The Bulls are guard-heavy.

Chicago traded away Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White, and Nikola Vucevic to rebuild a new core that will revolve around Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis.

The Bulls have eight guards on their roster, and size is a significant issue for a team coming out of the All-Star break with a 24-31 record, one spot out of the Play-In Tournament as the No. 11 team in the Eastern Conference.

Chicago head coach Billy Donovan knows he has a guard problem.

Per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Donovan said he’s going to have a hard time figuring out a way to give players minutes because of all the guards he has on the roster.

“I think guys are going to have to earn minutes,” Donovan said.

“Because of all the guards we have we’re not going to be able to play all of them because we’ll have size issues too, so you may get playing Jalen (Smith) and Nick Richards together, and if you have Matas (Buzelis) out there or Patrick (Williams) out there, there’s only two guard spots, so you’re going to have four guards sitting on the bench. That could happen.”

The Chicago Bulls are in full tank mode

More News: Bulls Executive VP appears to take shot at Coby White after Hornets trade

Yikes.

The Bulls didn’t exactly light it up after the trade deadline. Chicago is on a six-game losing streak. All of those losses came by double digits.

Chicago will next host the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night.

The Bulls are set to tank for the rest of the season, which should help the team’s chances of earning a lottery pick.

But the rest of the season could be unwatchable for fans.

It’s unplayable for Donovan.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan spoke about the challenges his team faces after a series of trades at the NBA deadline. 

Around the trade deadline, the Bulls reshaped much of the team they had built earlier in the season. Veteran players Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Kevin Huerter were traded to other teams. In return, Chicago added new players: Jaden Ivey, Anfernee Simons, Collin Sexton, Rob Dillingham, Nick Richards, and several draft picks.

The team made seven trades in less than a week. This made the Bulls one of the most active teams at the deadline. These moves dramatically reshaped the Bulls’ lineup. They replaced established contributors with a mix of young players, short-term veterans and future assets. 

For context, Vucevic and White had been statistical leaders. Vucevic averaged about 16.9 points per game, and White 18.6. Huerter had also been a steady contributor, averaging 10.9 per game. Dosunmu was having a career-high scoring campaign, averaging 16.0 points per game, with a season and career high of 35 points.

The trades immediately affected the Bulls’ performance. Since Feb. 5, they have lost their first four games with the new roster. The team struggled to maintain defensive intensity and also came up short on the offensive end. These are clear signs the team is still adjusting. 

Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan admits team faces tough adjustment

Donovan, an NBA head coach for 11 years, recently discussed the challenges his new-look team faces after the trades. He admitted the situation is unusual for a midseason team, calling it “unprecedented.”

“It’s an unprecedented situation we’re in right now, and I told [the players] we’ll have choices to make,” Donovan said, via the Chicago Sun-Times.

He noted that players can’t expect to click instantly without a training camp and will need “resiliency and toughness” to build chemistry quickly.

“If we just think we’re going to have guys come together without a training camp and just win basketball games, it doesn’t work that way. We’re going to have to show a level of resiliency and toughness to expedite some of this stuff,” Donovan explained.

With few practices and games coming fast, he said the focus should be on learning and adjusting, not immediate wins.

For fans and casual observers, the situation is like a company that replaces many key staff during an important project. Even skilled new hires need time and teamwork before things run smoothly.

The post Billy Donovan hits new-look Chicago Bulls with harsh reality appeared first on ChiCitySports.

After reshaping the backcourt with trades, Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan is putting pressure on the new guards. 

The Bulls revamped their roster before the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 5. They added four new guards: Jaden Ivey, Anfernee Simons, Collin Sexton and Rob Dillingham.

Ivey joined the Bulls from the Detroit Pistons, bringing speed, athleticism and strong ball-handling skills. Simons came from the Portland Trail Blazers, adding scoring experience and a quick, alert presence on the court. Sexton, traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers, is known for aggressive drives and nonstop energy, contributing on offense and defense. Dillingham, a young draft pick with potential as a versatile guard, gives the Bulls flexibility. Together, these four players form a guard-heavy backcourt.

But even with the new lineup, the Bulls are still struggling to win. They have not yet won a game with the new roster. Chicago has already lost three games since changing its lineup. The team scored fewer points and struggled to defend effectively.

Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan presses new guards to step up on defense

Donovan is now calling on the new guards to make an immediate impact, especially on defense. He said these players need to put in more effort to make it harder for opponents to score. That defensive effort will help the rest of the team.

“I do think with Jaden [Ivey], Anfernee [Simons], Collin [Sexton], Rob [Dillingham] . . . we’re going to have to be more disruptive . . . Our guards have to be better on the ball defensively. They’ve just got to be more physical on the ball. That would help with the size and the rolls at the rim,” Donovan noted, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Donovan admitted that adding four new guards midseason is challenging. He said these players didn’t have time to practice together before joining the team. He stressed that effort, teamwork and taking responsibility are just as important as individual talent. Donovan wanted these new players to push each other and help the team defend better.

The need for strong defense is even more pressing with guard Tre Jones sidelined by a hamstring injury. Jones, one of the Bulls’ best at deflecting the ball and disrupting opponents, likely won’t return until after the All-Star break. The new guards will have to fill that defensive role in his absence.

For Donovan, these trades are a way to improve the team’s defensive identity. Thus, in the coming weeks, he said the focus will be on the players’ adjustments, learning to work together, and staying resilient. If the new guards step up, they can help the Bulls stay competitive, even in a season full of changes.

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The Chicago Bulls can’t seem to find their footing as they lose their fifth straight game. Billy Donovan’s squad failed to get a win against the Brooklyn Nets, losing 123-115. They have dropped to 11th in the NBA standings and are one win away from the last play-in spot.

Anfernee Simons led the way for the struggling Bulls with 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field. Newcomer Collin Sexton scored 21 points from the bench while Matas Buzelis finished with 18 points. The second-year forward has been one of the bright spots this season for Chicago. Buzelis has played all 54 games, averaging 15.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.

Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan keeps it straight after NBA trade deadline

Despite their recent struggles, the Chicago Bulls were among the busiest teams at the NBA Trade Deadline. They gave up Nikola Vucevic to the Boston Celtics in exchange for dynamic guard Anfernee Simons. The Bulls also acquired Rob Dillingham from the Minnesota Timberwolves for Ayo Dosunmu.

They bolstered their backcourt energy by trading for Collin Sexton, sending Coby White to the Charlotte Hornets. In addition, Chicago also received Jaden Ivey from the Detroit Pistons in a three-team trade. The Bulls did not forget about their frontcourt, adding Nic Richards and Guerschon Yabusele in separate transactions.

All in all, the Chicago Bulls added seven new players before the trade deadline. Head coach Billy Donovan acknowledged it will be a challenge to acclimate new players with several key players injured.

“It’s not going to be smooth sailing. It’s going to be a real challenge. We have to lean into it,” he said during a post-game interview.

The struggle was evident in their loss to the Nets. The Bulls fielded nine players versus Brooklyn, seven of whom were new. The only mainstays were Matas Buzelis and Patrick Williams. 

Billy Donovan has a tough job, as they have only 28 games left in the season. They are still within striking distance of the play-in. So, they must make sure that the new members can get their groove back in this final stretch,

The post Billy Donovan’s blunt message to Chicago Bulls after NBA trade deadline appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan faced tough questions on Monday night after the team lost 123–115 to the Brooklyn Nets. It was Chicago’s 30th loss of the season and its fifth straight defeat. Three of those losses came after recent roster changes aimed at improving the team.

The Bulls have made several trades to reshape the roster, but the moves have yet to produce more wins. The team continues losing games in similar ways — making mistakes, missing opportunities, and showing defensive lapses. These mistakes often allow opponents to take control and decide the game in the final minutes.

With a 24–30 record, Chicago faces criticism from fans and analysts, who question the team’s direction and effort. Many observers wonder whether the Bulls can turn things around this season.

Chicago Bulls Coach Billy Donovan talks focus after 30th loss

After Monday’s loss to the Nets, Donovan spoke openly about the team’s struggles and outside criticism. He said he is focusing the players on what they can control. This includes working hard and helping each other, even as some players’ contracts expire or they seek bigger roles.

“I’ve tried to talk to them about what our focus is and what our direction needs to be inside our team,” he told the media, via the Chicago Sun Times. “There are guys with expiring contracts, some guys that want to play, so we’ve got to help each other, go out there and compete. All that kind of stuff is important, so I’ve tried to redirect their focus onto that: ‘What do we got to do to get better as a team?’”

Donovan drowns out outside noise

Donovan then defended his roster while answering outside questions about the team’s effort and which players will return next season. Critics also claimed some players are “auditioning” or showing off for future opportunities instead of focusing on winning. But Donovan stressed that the players are professionals who want to work and improve, not just “experiment.”

“I can see people on the outside: ‘Are they really trying to win? What’s with this group? . . . Who is going to be back? Who isn’t going to be back? Maybe these guys are auditioning, or they really don’t care,’” continued Donovan. “I still think, inside that locker room, these guys are professionals. They don’t want to come in every day, work, try and buy in, and [say], ‘OK, we’re just going to experiment with all this stuff’.”

Despite the losses, Donovan emphasized that the team is committed to learning and improving. He encouraged players to stay focused on teamwork and effort rather than outside criticism.

With the season still ongoing, he hopes the Bulls can regain momentum and finish strong, even as questions about the team’s future continue to circulate.

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The Chicago Bulls entered the trade deadline with the No. 9 spot in the Eastern Conference.

More News: Bulls Executive VP appears to take shot at Coby White after Hornets trade

The Bulls, now on a five-game losing streak, are in 11th place with a 24-30 record amid losing Coby White, Nikola Vucevic and Ayo Dosunmu.

On Monday, the new-look Bulls were beaten 123-115 by a 15-37 Brooklyn Nets team.

The roster is perfect for a spring tank job, but Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has to try and take care of the players in the locker room and help the team develop the best they can in an adverse situation.

Per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Donovan is pessimistic that his new rotation will “hit the wall” as fatigue starts to set in with the extra minutes former role players will have with more minutes on the floor.

“I do think this group is going to hit the wall,” Donovan said. “Coming out of the All-Star break, what those last 27 games are going to look like for us physically is going to be a big factor.”

The Chicago Bulls have a new focus

More News: Bulls sign notable free agent to a two-way contract

Donovan is trying to get his roster to focus on development while Bulls fans vent their frustrations with the brutal way that the front office handled trading several starters without receiving even a first-round pick in return.

“I’ve tried to talk to them about what our focus is and what our direction needs to be inside our team,” Donovan said. “There are guys with expiring contracts, some guys that want to play, so we’ve got to help each other, go out there and compete… so I’ve tried to redirect their focus onto that: ‘What do we got to do to get better as a team?’

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The Chicago Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic era is officially over. This is after the Bulls agreed to trade the two-time All-Star to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Anfernee Simons. Vucevic leaves Chicago after six seasons with the team. In 378 games played for the Bulls, the 6-foot-9 center averaged 18.1 points on 49.9% shooting, 10.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 32.8 minutes per contest. Vucevic also knocked down 1.6 triples per game on a 34.9% clip.

The Bulls just gave up their starting center for a 6-foot-3 shooting guard. This means that the Bulls will need to fill a massive void in their frontcourt now that Vucevic is out of the picture for good.

The Bulls were in action on Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks. Chicago got Jalen Smith back after a two-game absence due to a calf injury. The 25-year-old took Vucevic’s spot in the starting lineup. Smith finished with 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting, five rebounds and one assist in 20 minutes of action.

It was far from enough to help lift Chicago, though. They suffered another blowout loss, 131-115. This defeat follows Sunday’s embarrassing 134-91 loss against the Miami Heat.

Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan shares troubling Zach Collins update

Zach Collins emerged as an important figure for the Bulls after the Vucevic trade. The 6-foot-9 center was Vucevic’s primary backup before Collins got injured. After missing the first six weeks of the NBA season due to a wrist injury, Collins sprained his right big toe in December. The 28-year-old big man has been out of commission since.

The Bulls need Collins back now that Vucevic has moved on. At this point, Chicago only has Smith and rookie Lachlan Olbrich as their primary frontcourt players. The bad news for the Bulls is that Collins has no firm timetable for his return. In fact, head coach Billy Donovan announced on Tuesday that Collins, who has played just 10 games this season, could be out for the rest of the way.

‘‘That could happen,” Donovan responded when asked about Collins sitting out the rest of the campaign. “As they put him two more weeks into the boot, I think how he comes out of that is going to tell a lot. He’s going to need a ramp-up period in order to run. … The whole thing right now has been trying to prevent surgery.’

‘‘When he comes out of the boot, would there be a runway for him to play? ‘He’s doing everything he can to play, wants to play, but can he get healed in time? That’s going to be the biggest question.’’

To be clear, the Bulls have not ruled out the possibility of Collins’ return this season. However, Donovan’s most recent update is far from encouraging.

The Bulls will be back in action on Thursday. They close out their current four-game road trip with a matchup against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. Chicago enters that contest with a 24-27 record. As of writing, they are 10th in the Eastern Conference.

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With a little over a week before the trade deadline on Feb. 5, the Chicago Bulls appear ready to stubbornly fight for a spot in the Play-In Tournament.

More News: Bulls have framework for Coby White trade with Timberwolves: Report

The Bulls suffered a 129-118 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night at the United Center, dropping Chicago’s record to 23-23. The loss killed a four-game winning streak for the ninth-place team in the Eastern Conference.

Center Nikola Vucevic made his feelings clear on what he thinks should happen at the trade deadline, hoping the front office gives their core one more opportunity to make a run in the spring.

That might happen whether Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas wants to tear down a roster with seven impending free agents or not.

Per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan told reporters that he spoke with the front office about their thinking before the trade deadline.

A “slow” trade deadline for the Chicago Bulls

More News: Bulls star sends trade deadline plea amid loss to Lakers

Chicago is hearing crickets.

“From (Karnisovas) right now as it relates to real significant movement, it’s been pretty slow,” Donovan said. “There’s nothing that’s really transpired. When you get to this point you’ve always got to have partners in this thing.

“I think Arturas and (general manager) Marc (Eversley), the front office, are going to make decisions that are long-term good things for the organization. He mentioned to me (Monday) that there is just not a lot going on.”

Donovan knows what the Bulls need to do to get the ball rolling. However, it doesn’t appear this front office can find a trade partner—if they even know how.

There is a real possibility Karnišovas is going to let White walk into free agency this summer. Good luck re-signing him.

That would be a waste of capital for Chicago to lose its former first-round pick without getting anything in return.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls opened 2026 with momentum, taking down the Orlando Magic 121-114 on the season’s second night. The win came with an added highlight, as Matas Buzelis delivered a thunderous slam that instantly put him in the conversation for dunk of the year.

With 7:34 left in the second quarter, Buzelis took control of the moment, attacking the rim and hammering home a dunk over Magic guard Jalen Suggs that sent the arena into a frenzy. He backed up the highlight by leading Chicago across the board, finishing with 21 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.

MATAS BUZELIS JUST ENDED JALEN SUGGS pic.twitter.com/pvOktHQnNr

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 3, 2026

After the game, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan balanced praise with perspective, noting the excitement of Buzelis’ dunk but emphasizing that the young forward needs to focus on consistently making plays that help the team win.

Billy Donovan on Matas Buzelis

“The dunks were phenomenal, they were unbelievable. But it was only worth two points. To me, the seven assists and the rebounding were so much more valuable to our team. I get fans love it, I loved watching it for a second, it was awesome,” remarked the Bulls head coach.

Bulls coach Billy Donovan puts Matas Buzelis’ dunk of the year nomination into context

“It’s the other things that I think he’s doing that’s impacting winning” pic.twitter.com/BgXN9lLFzE

— Zachary Draves (@DravesZachary) January 3, 2026

“But at the end of the day, those don’t happen every single night. That’s just his athletic ability and talent. But it’s the other things he’s doing, I think, that are impacting winning. That’s why all I really want to see him do is How do you really impact a team and impact winning?”

Donovan also sees signs of Buzelis maturing into a more complete player. Earlier this season, Buzelis mentioned aiming for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award, and he is backing it up by averaging 14.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

“I really appreciate the way he’s leaned into that stuff to try to get better. Like I’ve said before, he’s a great guy to work with. He’s a great guy to be around. He’s not afraid of the moment. He leans in, trying to get better, and he wants to be really good. As a coach, you have to admire that,” Donovan added.

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Monday turned into a rough night for Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls. The Minnesota Timberwolves overwhelmed them in a 136-101 blowout, and the losses kept piling up as the game went on. Coby White exited in the second quarter with a right calf injury and never returned, and Josh Giddey followed in the third after suffering a hamstring issue that also ended his night early.

The Bulls absorbed a multiple blows, and the fallout may not stop there. With injuries piling up, head coach Billy Donovan made it clear after the game that Chicago cannot wait around to see who gets healthy. He pointed directly to the need for others to step forward in the backcourt, stressing that certain players must fill the guard minutes and shoulder responsibility regardless of what happens with Josh Giddey or Coby White.

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan is blunt about other guards stepping up regardless of the status of Coby White and Josh Giddey

“I think there’s enough there for Ayo (Dosunmu), Kevin Huerter, and Tre Jones to carry the load” ⁦@ClutchPoints⁩ pic.twitter.com/nRDNkm1Uf4

— Zachary Draves (@DravesZachary) December 30, 2025

“I’m disappointed, and I feel bad for guys when they can’t play,” said the Bulls head coach. “But this is an opportunity, can we grow from this and learned from what happened last time because we need to play better. I think I’ve said before, are the injuries impactful? Yes, but these guys are all pros, and they all want an opportunity to play.”

Billy Donovan calls on his backup guards to step-up for the Bulls

The loss marked Chicago’s second-largest defeat of the season. The only worse result came on Nov. 21, when the Bulls fell to the Miami Heat by 36 points in a 143-107 blowout. In this one, Josh Giddey logged just 18 minutes and finished with 11 points, while Coby White lasted only seven minutes before exiting without scoring.

“We’ve got to be a whole lot better. Our guard play in particular needs to get better. I know with Coby and Josh, whatever their status may be in the future, I think there’s enough there for Ayo (Dosunmu), Kevin Huerter, and Tre Jones to carry the load.”

Donovan did see solid production from the players he highlighted. Ayo Dosunmu led that group with 11 points while adding seven assists and six rebounds. Kevin Huerter chipped in eight points and six boards, and Jones matched Dosunmu with 11 points to go along with four assists.

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Recently, worries have mounted over whether faster-paced games and more possessions are fueling injuries in the NBA. Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has weighed in, expressing concern about the toll on players’ health.

Donovan shared his perspective on Monday ahead of the Bulls’ matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves after speaking with Sam Smith of NBA.com.

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan agrees that increased possessions in the nba can lead to injuries pic.twitter.com/t4XLjC5Qj8

— Zachary Draves (@DravesZachary) December 29, 2025

“I do think it’s a factor. One is that the more possessions there are, the more opportunities for collision, and when you consider contact injuries and certainly the number of minutes and the pace and speed of the game, probably led to some soft tissue issues. So I think that’s a fair statement,” remarked the Bulls head coach.

Billy Donovan blames pace on player injuries

In simple terms, added possessions force players to do more physically. Each touch brings extra sprinting, jumping, cutting, and sudden changes of direction, all of which increase stress on the body. That workload hits the legs hardest, especially the hamstrings and quads. LeBron James offers a clear example, as he missed the opening four weeks of the season while dealing with sciatica, an injury rooted in the lower body.

As the season winds down, injuries have taken a heavy toll on the Bulls. At one point, the Bulls listed as many as 11 players on the injury report, draining their depth and fueling a prolonged losing stretch. Absences from Josh Giddey, Coby White, Nikola Vucevic, and Ayo Dosunmu proved especially damaging, as each plays a central role in how the team operates. Giddey’s absence stood out most, given how much the offense flows through him.

ll and ranks second in the NBA with seven triple-doubles, trailing only Nikola Jokic, who has 16. Despite dealing with a right ankle sprain, Giddey is expected to play Monday.

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The Chicago Bulls outlasted the Atlanta Hawks 152-150 on Sunday in the highest-scoring game of the NBA season, totaling 302 points. While the win counted the same in the standings, it did little to please head coach Billy Donovan. After the game, Donovan spoke candidly about the defensive breakdowns that allowed 150 points, offering a blunt assessment of his team’s performance, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic.

“Look, we’re not a great defensive team,” the Bulls head coach remarked.

The Bulls surrendered 73 points before halftime and had no answers defensively in the paint or in transition. Atlanta took advantage with 66 points at the rim, 26 on the break, and 57 from its bench.

Even with the Chicago Bulls shooting better than 60 percent in the first half, Atlanta stayed right with them by hitting 55.6 percent from the field and nearly 50 percent from beyond the arc.

The Bulls defensive woes continue

Chicago spread the scoring around, with nine players reaching double figures. Matas Buzelis paced the group with 28 points, while Coby White added 21 after getting cleared despite an ankle issue. Josh Giddey chipped in 19, Kevin Huerter scored 16, and Isaac Okoro finished with 14. Ayo Dosunmu and Nikola Vucevic each posted 13, Tre Jones contributed 11, and Zach Collins rounded it out with 10.

Jalen Johnson and Trae Young carried the Hawks’ offense, combining for 71 points with 36 from Johnson and 35 from Young.

Anyone watching closely can see that defense is not Chicago’s strength. The Bulls have had issues protecting the rim, securing rebounds, and maintaining consistency on that end of the floor. Opponents regularly exploit the paint, as the Hawks did, and Chicago often struggles to shrink driving lanes. That combination leads to easy looks inside and extra trips to the free throw line.

The Bulls also allowed too many second chance opportunities, which quickly turned into problems in transition. While Tre Jones and Isaac Okoro help shore up the defense at times, the overall effort on that end has remained uneven.

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On Wednesday, the Chicago Bulls picked up a much-needed 127-111 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on a night that put Josh Giddey in rare company alongside Michael Jordan. Giddey delivered his sixth career triple-double with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, but he was not the only Bull to earn praise.

After the game, head coach Billy Donovan singled out Tre Jones, applauding his impact as a “disruptive” force, especially on the defensive end where his activity and timely steals helped shift momentum.

Billy Donovan credits the “disruptive” Tre Jones for the Bulls defeating the Cavaliers pic.twitter.com/ms7hW4GqAq

— Zachary Draves (@DravesZachary) December 18, 2025

“He’s disruptive,” remarked the Bulls head coach. “I think the thing with him with the steals is he picks them up earlier before they happen. He shoots the gap, he’s there. He’s the one guy for us that shoots the gap and generate some steals.”

A complete team performance for Tre Jones and the Bulls

Jones put together a well-rounded performance, finishing with 11 points, 11 assists, and three steals. He is currently averaging roughly two steals per game.

The win moves the Bulls to 11-15. They travel back to Cleveland on Thursday for the rubber match, then visit the Atlanta Hawks on December 23, before returning home to face the Philadelphia 76ers on December 26.

Alongside Jones and Giddey, other Bulls players made strong contributions. Coby White added 25 points and five rebounds, Bulls center Nikola Vucevic posted 20 points with nine rebounds, and Isaac Okoro scored 12 points against his former team.

Kevin Huerter contributed 11 points, Zach Collins added 10 points, and Matas Buzelis chipped in 9 points.

Over the summer, the Bulls secured Tre Jones on a three-year $24 million deal. Before joining Chicago, he played for the San Antonio Spurs. Jones was brought in to strengthen the Bulls’ defense, which has consistently faced challenges. Known for his relentless on-ball pressure and competitive grit, he immediately adds toughness and intensity to the backcourt.

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The Chicago Bulls fell 114-104 to the struggling New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, dropping their record to 10-15 after a strong 6-1 start to the season.

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan shared a notable post-game assessment following the loss, according to Sam Smith of NBA.com. Even in defeat to one of the league’s struggling teams, Donovan pointed out some encouraging signs.

“I felt like we played the right way; I really did. We didn’t shoot the ball well. The way we played tonight (however) is a sustainable style because even though we shot the ball incredibly poorly, we gave ourselves a chance. As poorly as we shot (seeing a trend here?), and them making a couple late, we were there,” said the Bulls head coach.

“We’re going to have to find ways to win games in the mud when we don’t shoot it well. I thought defensively we tried to compete and gave ourselves a chance.”

Billy Donovan’s Bulls struggles continue

Sunday’s defeat marked the Bulls’ second loss of the season to the Pelicans, following a 143-130 road setback on November 24. After that earlier loss, Donovan openly acknowledged the team’s struggles, but now his perspective has shifted dramatically.

Coby White led the charge with 20 points, five assists, and five rebounds. Kevin Huerter chipped in 16 points, including four three-pointers. Nikola Vucevic added 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Josh Giddey recorded 11 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.

Matas Buzelis and Dalen Terry each contributed nine points, while Patrick Williams added eight. Tre Jones and Jalen Smith chipped in six points apiece, and Isaac Okoro finished with five points.

Recently, Donovan has faced criticism over his coaching performance. Key factors include inconsistent team play, uneven player development, defensive struggles, and lingering chemistry problems.

Since taking over as head coach in 2020, the Bulls have largely stayed below .500 and have missed the playoffs, while several young players have yet to evolve into leaders capable of carrying the team.

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The Chicago Bulls seemed to be on the rise early in the season, starting 6-1 and appearing poised to contend in the Eastern Conference. However, consecutive losing streaks of five and seven games have dropped the team to 9-14, losing 13 of their last 16 contests and making a playoff spot increasingly unlikely. Head coach Billy Donovan did not mince words during his recent press conference.

According to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic, Donovan delivered a pointed message to the team on Wednesday.

“People wanna sit there and say, ‘Well, you lost to New Orleans. They got a bad a record.’ Indiana, bad record. I don’t think we’re any different from those teams. We’re not just gifted to walk in there (and) if we show up, we’ll win games. … I do not view it that way at all when I watch tape,” said the Bulls head coach.

The Bulls losses stemming from failure to execute

Donovan’s likening of the Bulls to teams like the New Orleans Pelicans and Indiana Pacers may sound severe, but it accurately reflects their current struggles. Chicago has played inconsistently, and it’s evident the team is closer in performance to the Pacers than to the sixth-place Philadelphia 76ers.

The Bulls head coach acknowledged that the team simply lacks the talent to consistently beat lower-ranked opponents.

Chicago’s struggles can largely be traced to injuries. Key players such as Coby White have battled nagging issues all season, Josh Giddey has missed games, and Isaac Okoro, Jalen Smith, Zach Collins and Tre Jones have all spent time sidelined. Missing these important contributors has played a major role in the Bulls’ difficulty securing wins.

Donovan, however, is not pointing to injuries as the main cause of the Bulls’ struggles. He believes the losses are coming down to the small mistakes and breakdowns in execution that have piled up over time.

If the Bulls hope to compete again, they need to fix these small but critical issues. Chicago ranks near the bottom of the league in several key areas: 24th in net rating, 25th in opponent offensive rebounds per game, 26th in opponent second-chance points, 27th in opponent points in the paint, and 27th in turnovers forced. These are the stats typical of struggling teams.

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The Chicago Bulls are still struggling, even Josh Giddey’s recent stellar play. On Friday, they suffered their sixth straight loss, falling 120-105 to the Indiana Pacers and dropping to 9-13. Following the defeat, head coach Billy Donovan called out both Giddey and Matas Buzelis, holding them responsible for their turnovers and stressing the importance of cleaner execution.

Buzelis ended the game with six turnovers and Giddey added five, combining for 11 of the Bulls’ 18 total giveaways. Donovan acknowledged some positive plays from both, but emphasized that “decision-making has got to be better.”

After the Bulls lost their sixth straight game to the Pacers, Billy Donovan says the “decision making has got to be better” from Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey who combined for 11 turnovers pic.twitter.com/wQReAeaE60

— Zachary Draves (@DravesZachary) December 6, 2025

Despite the turnovers, Buzelis tallied 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds while going a perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line. Giddey added 9 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Coby White led the team with 22 points and contributed six assists.

Buzelis is putting up 13.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while Giddey is averaging 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per outing.

Billy Donovan and the Bulls continue to lose their rhythm

Coming off the bench, Jevon Carter sank four three-pointers en route to 14 points, while Zach Collins added 8 points and grabbed six rebounds in his season debut after recovering from a left scaphoid injury.

With a game-winning jumper already to his name, Pascal Siakam extended his dominance over the Bulls in the mid-range. He converted 13 of 24 field-goal attempts, repeatedly hitting turnaround jumpers on his way to a 36-point performance.

One of the Bulls’ most pressing but under-discussed issues is their turnover trouble. They often rush in the half-court, fail to read plays effectively, and sometimes settle for contested three-pointers instead of attacking the rim.

Overall, the Bulls shoot well when they get open three-point chances, as Zach Collins demonstrated by scoring his first points of the season on one. Beyond contributors like Coby White, Matas Buzelis, and a healthy Ayo Dosunmu attacking the rim, the team struggles to produce consistent offense from long range.

The Bulls will look to refocus and host the Golden State Warriors on Sunday evening.

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Rumors about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s potential trade destination continue to swirl. While most speculation points to the Knicks, the Chicago Bulls are still in the conversation. Reports suggest the Bulls were even offered a chance to acquire Giannis in a trade but ultimately passed on the opportunity. According to sources, head coach Billy Donovan has not seen any official proposal regarding the star forward.

Billy Donovan commented on report the Bulls weren’t interested in Giannis Antetokounmpo by saying the front office “always” comes to him with trade conversations/offers when they’re “real.”

The front office never communicated anything one way or the other about Antetokounmpo. pic.twitter.com/BXgPPBzSuB

— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) December 5, 2025

Billy Donovan addressed the reports through Bulls insider Cody Westerlund, stating that the front office “always” brings him trade discussions or offers when they are “real.” In this case, the team never communicated anything regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo one way or the other.

The Bulls sit at 9-13 this season, reeling from a six-game losing streak capped by a loss to the struggling Indiana Pacers, while several key players have battled injuries.

Bulls and Billy Donovan not betting on the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes

Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo is putting up 28.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game, and the Bucks hold a 10-13 record in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, just ahead of Chicago in 11th.

Giannis remains under contract with the Bucks through the 2026-2027 season and holds a substantial player option for 2027. However, with Milwaukee struggling in recent years, he could be considering other options.

The Greek Freak has yet to officially request a trade. The rumors connecting him to the Bulls stem from FOX Chicago broadcaster Lou Canellis, who is said to have business ties with the star. On the radio, Canellis revealed that Giannis had indicated interest in Chicago as a possible landing spot.

The Bulls passed on the trade to preserve their young core, keeping the focus on rebuilding. While the team boasts promising talent, they still lack a true superstar they can rely on in multiple areas. Right now, much like Donovan, no one really knows how things will unfold.

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The Chicago Bulls are struggling with two major issues, a five-game losing streak and a roster burdened by injuries. After starting the 2025-26 season strongly, the team looked like it could be one of the league’s surprises, but that early success quickly faded. Now 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 9-12 record, the Bulls no longer appear to be a serious contender in the playoff race.

With the Bulls already in trouble, they will endure another setback as rookie forward Noa Essengue is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder. Head coach Billy Donovan offered additional details on the decision.

“I think the recommendation was to get it fixed now instead of waiting, because it’s something that could continue to be a problem for him. The decision was made pretty much sometime today,” said the Bulls head coach via ESPN.

Noa Essengue with the Bulls

The Bulls selected Noa Essengue with the 12th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. At only 18, the young forward displayed considerable promise as a two-way player, showcasing elite athleticism and sharp defensive instincts. Although his shooting needed work, the teenager showed steady progress.

Although Essengue is regarded as a promising talent, injuries have limited his NBA appearances. His two regular-season games do not fully reflect his abilities. A clearer measure of his potential comes from his Summer League performance with the Windy City Bulls, where he averaged 23 points, 8.5 rebounds on 31 minutes.

Essengue’s injury comes at a challenging time for the Chicago Bulls, who are already dealing with a slew of sidelined players. Key contributors such as Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, Coby White, Josh Giddey, Ayo Dosunmu, Patrick Williams, and Isaac Okoro have all faced injuries that kept them off the court, leaving the team in a vulnerable position.

Right now, the Bulls are a team in transition. They possess a talented core and a few steady veterans, but with many of those veterans on expiring contracts, Chicago’s approach to the season remains puzzling.

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The Chicago Bulls are spiraling out of control fast.

More News: Bulls’ Josh Giddey sends urgent warning to team

Chicago has lost three games in a row to basement dwellers. Following defeats to the New Orleans Pelicans and Charlotte Hornets, the Bulls were outgunned in the final seconds as the Indiana Pacers knocked them out 103-101 in front of 17,006 fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

That was the Pacers fourth win of the season.

The Bulls double-team of Matas Buzelis and Tre Jones allowed Pascal Siakam to make a 14-foot jumper at the last second to win the game.

PASCAL SIAKAM GAME-WINNER pic.twitter.com/p1hswTtN43

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) November 30, 2025

With the loss, Chicago dropped to 9-10.

The Chicago Bulls are losing control

More News: Bulls’ Billy Donovan suggests team is mentally weak

If there was one good takeaway in the defeat, the Bulls held the Pacers to 103 points, the first time head coach Billy Donovan’s Bulls held an opponent to under 120 points in the last 12 outings.

During his postgame news conference, Donovan argued the team is struggling to control the basketball.

“On drives, that has been a challenge for us where we’ve had the ball driven through us quite honestly to the basket,” Donovan said, via Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I think we have to be better absorbing the first dribble. The rebounding has been a challenge for us; we’ve got to do a better job in those areas.

“I would say our biggest challenge has been the controlling of the basketball, in particular one-on-one and in space.”

The Bulls will try again when they travel to play the 12-8 Orlando Magic on Monday night. Based on Donovan’s analysis, there’s a lot to fix before they even tackle the biggest challenge.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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Matas Buzelis opened the season on a strong note for Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls. He delivered two games with more than 20 points in his first four outings, enough for NBA analyst Bill Simmons to project a major step forward in his second year.

Since then, Buzelis has continued to look like a rising young piece, starting every game for Chicago and raising his production across the board. He is averaging 13.8 points and 5.5 rebounds while knocking down 36.8 percent of his three pointers, all clear gains from his rookie campaign.

Bulls fans are hoping the 21-year-old grows into a long-term pillar for the franchise, but the past few weeks have highlighted a growing push-and-pull between his growth and the team’s need to win now. Donovan seems to be leaning in another direction since Buzelis logged only 21 minutes in the matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans.

After starting the first half of Chicago’s 130 – 143 defeat, Buzelis was pulled for the entire second half while Donovan shifted to Jalen Smith. Donovan later said the switch was driven by a need for stronger rebounding.

Is Billy Donovan stunting Matas Buzelis’ growth?

“We need help there, and he’s gotta be able to find a way to help us a little more,” remarked the Bulls head coach via Joel Lorenzi on X (formerly Twitter).

However, the decision frustrated many Bulls fans who feel Donovan should keep Buzelis on the floor and invest in his growth rather than focus on short-term concerns.

Billy Donovan said he turned away from Buzelis to start 2H for rebounding: “We need help there, and he’s gotta be able to find a way to help us a little more.”

— Joel Lorenzi (@JoelXLorenzi) November 25, 2025

“Matas is SF. Get a legitimate center and power forward. It’s not Matas fault FO fails at their job!!” said one X user.

“His body language when Matas is on the floor wasn’t good last year. I can’t comment on this year because I HAVEN’T SEEN A GAME! Meanwhile if you’re over 28…” another user added noting a perceived dislike exhibited by Donovan towards Buzelis.

“I will continue to say, Billy Donovan cannot coach or develop lottery picks. He’s only good at 2nd round/undrafted picks, like a college coach. He ruins our best players confidence and development” chimed another user.

The Bulls sit at 9-8 and currently hold a play-in spot, but they aren’t operating like a team built to win right now. That makes Donovan’s approach even more confusing.

Chicago needs to give young players like Buzelis real opportunities so the franchise can build toward a stronger future instead of chasing small regular-season gains at the expense of long-term progress.

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Josh Giddey shouldered extra offensive responsibility with Nikola Vucevic sidelined, but neither he nor the Chicago Bulls could deliver. Chicago suffered a disappointing 143-130 loss to the struggling New Orleans Pelicans, who improved to 2-15 and snapped a nine-game losing streak on Tuesday AEDT.

The Australian, entered the game averaging 20.4 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 9.7 assists, struggled to run the offense efficiently and turned the ball over multiple times. With starting center Nikola Vucevic out with a knee injury, the Bulls lacked presence in the paint. Josh Giddey took 12 shots and scored 21 points, adding seven rebounds and six assists, but he also coughed up the ball five times and finished with a minus-13 plus-minus in his 35 minutes on the court.

“You’re just not gonna go on the road, give up 143 points and beat anybody,” Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said during his post-game interview.

Bulls broadcast analyst Stacey King called Chicago’s recent defensive play “horrendous” after the team allowed 143 points to the Pelicans, pointing out that the Bulls had also given up 143 points to Miami just days earlier.

Bulls missing the services of Nikola Vucevic

After opening the season 5-0, the Bulls have dropped eight of their last 12 games, slipping to ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

The impact of Vucevic’s absence was glaring in New Orleans. Without a reliable post presence, the Bulls struggled to contain their opponents, allowing the Pelicans to surpass 100 points with more than three minutes remaining in the third quarter.

The Bulls staged a late rally, led by Ayo Dosunmu’s 28 points and Coby White’s 24. Jalen Smith contributed 13 points, while Tre Jones added a double-double with 10 points and 11 assists off the bench. The Bulls connected on 20 of 50 three-point attempts but could not overcome New Orleans’ balanced scoring effort.

Zion Williamson led the way for the New Orleans Pelicans with a season-high 29 points, while Saddiq Bey added 20 points and 14 rebounds, including two late three-pointers that helped seal the win in the final minutes.

The victory ended a nine-game losing streak and marked the first under interim coach James Borrego, who stepped in after Willie Green was fired. New Orleans got balanced scoring, with eight players reaching double figures, including Trey Murphy with 20 points and Jose Alvarado with 16, while Yves Missi recorded a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds.

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Billy Donovan figured Noa Essengue would finally get his chance against the Denver Nuggets. The Bulls coach watched his team grind through a double overtime loss in Utah, board a late flight to the Mile High City, and prepare to face a powerhouse Nuggets group on almost no rest. It felt like the ideal moment for the rookie to step on the floor and log his first meaningful NBA minutes. He didn’t.

Billy Donovan says he talked to the staff before Denver game, and because of double OT in Utah night before he "was open to putting (Noa Essengue) in the game. Says the second unit played so well that "I just decided to go with those guys." Essengue has yet to debut for Bulls.

— Joel Lorenzi (@JoelXLorenzi) November 20, 2025

Essengue is still the only lottery selection at 12th overall who has yet to see any real playing time this season.

Donovan said Essengue plans to rejoin the Windy City Bulls for their Saturday home game.

“He’s got to get physically stronger, and again, I haven’t given him the opportunity. I’m going off the preseason when I saw him out there,” said the Bulls head coach via Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun times.

“The pace and speed of the game, being able to guard multiple options with his feet, being able to play when he catches it against closeouts, I think those are going to be growth things that we need to focus on.”

Noa Essengue is back with the Windy City Bulls

A quick turnaround after Windy City absorbed its first loss of the season in a 156 to 128 matchup with the Iowa Wolves on Friday, where Essengue, on assignment from Chicago, led the scoring effort with 22 points while making more than half of his shots and collecting six rebounds.

Starting five for game 5️⃣ pic.twitter.com/1WTY5iQ9AI

— Windy City Bulls (@windycitybulls) November 22, 2025

Facing the Wolves on the second night of a back to back, the Bulls kept the game tight through the opening half, and Essengue’s 13 point surge in the second period helped trim the deficit to four by halftime.

Essengue benefits from the maturity he gained while playing professionally in the German League, a foundation that helps him stay grounded as he waits for a real opportunity. Donovan talks with him regularly to keep him encouraged through the dry spell, and he believes Essengue has the temperament to stay steady rather than letting the limited minutes wear on him.

“He’s really mature in a lot of ways. He knows this is going to be a process. At 18 years old, whatever his path will be, as long as he continues to keep the mentality where it is right now, he’s a good worker, he pays attention,” Billy Donovan added.

The post Billy Donovan explains why he isn’t rushing Rookie’s NBA Debut appeared first on ChiCitySports.

No Cade Cunningham, no problem.

More News: Nikola Vucevic has warning for Chicago Bulls front office before trade deadline

The Chicago Bulls put up valiant efforts against Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donovan Mitchell, and Victor Wembanyama, only to be unable to finish in the fourth quarter in their previous three games.

On Tuesday night, the Bulls had no answer for the Detroit Pistons without Cunningham or Jalen Duren in a 124-113 loss to the Detroit Pistons in front of 19,023 fans at Little Caesars Arena. The defeat was the fourth in a row for Chicago.

Veteran Center Nikola Vucevic was worse than useless, earning a -10 on the court for 25 minutes. He scored just six points and added six rebounds and three assists.

Some good things were seen from Matas Buzelis, as he added 21 points, 14 rebounds, two blocks, and two assists in 34 minutes. Though his defense could have been more crisp.

In a span of five days, the Bulls have gone from having the Eastern Conference’s best record at 6-1 to being 6-5 before playing the Utah Jazz on Sunday.

Chicago was without Josh Giddey against the San Antonio Spurs and Pistons. The Bulls hope to have him and Coby White back for the upcoming three-game West Coast trip.

Chicago Bulls HC doesn’t have faith in the roster

More News: Bulls issued major warning after loss to Cavs

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan didn’t sound confident that their eventual return means much to an inadequate roster.

“We’re not talented enough not to play desperate,” Donovan told reporters after the game, per K.C. Johnson of CHSN.

Billy Donovan with some strong words postgame: “We’re not talented enough not to play desperate.”

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) November 13, 2025

Yikes.

The Bulls should feel desperate before playing the Jazz. Coming off a four-game losing streak, Chicago has slipped to No. 8 in the East.

The Bulls have proven the sharp start through the first seven games to be fool’s gold.

Chicago should win two of three on the road. The Jazz are 4-7. On Monday night, the Bulls face a tough challenge against the 8-2 Denver Nuggets before finishing the trip against the 5-5 Portland Trailblazers.

It will be important for players like Giddey and White to gain chemistry if the Bulls hope to make the playoffs outright. As it stands, Chicago is a Play-In Tournament team, and Donovan doesn’t have faith that the roster has enough talent to be more than that.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Bulls have won five straight to open the NBA season, and there looks to be no team that can stop them.

Once again, the usual suspects of Josh Giddey, Nikola Vucevic, and Matas Buzelis did their thing, while others, like guard Kevin Huerter, stepped in place of Coby White, who was out due to a calf injury. Firing on all cylinders, the Bulls have not seen a start like this since the Michael Jordan era, but they can’t get ahead of themselves as it’s still early in the season.

The Chicago Bulls get off to their hottest start in close to 30 years

After their commanding victory over the New York Knicks, 135-125, giving them their fifth consecutive win, the Bulls have their first 5-0 start since the 1996-97 season, which was the year they won their second of their three straight NBA Finals. During this stretch, the Bulls have ranked sixth in offense and eighth in defense, while firmly solidifying their grip on the Eastern Conference.

Chicago Bulls:

— 5-0
— 1 seed
— 6th in offense
— 8th in defense

Their best start since 1996-97. pic.twitter.com/kKw0gBHUZD

— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 1, 2025

Josh Giddey and Billy Donovan recognize that it’s still early in the season

Despite running on a high to start the season and setting a new career high of 32.0 points, and missing another triple-double, falling one assist short (nine), Giddey recognized after the Bulls victory that “there’s a long way to go.”

HALLOWEEN BUCKETS.

Josh Giddey: 32 pts, 10 reb, 9 ast
Nikola Vucevic: 26 pts, 7 reb
Ayo Dosunmu: 22 pts, 4 reb, 9 ast
Matas Buzelis: 13 pts, 1 stl, 1 blk
Kevin Huerter: 12 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl
Patrick Williams: 9 pts, 3 ast
Tre Jones: 8 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast pic.twitter.com/H4EeBzbpYI

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) November 1, 2025

“We feel good as a group of where we’re at right now, but there’s a long way to go,” Bulls guard Josh Giddey said to ESPN’s Jamal Collier. “Every night there’s different guys making plays and stepping up. We’ve got a bunch of guys — six, seven guys averaging double figures. That kind of speaks volumes to how deep we are as a team and the impact we’re getting across the board.”

Head coach Billy Donovan, who earned his 200th victory as a coach on Friday night, according to Collier, said that the “good connection” his players have is contributing to their winning, but echoed Giddey’s comments, also saying “we get a lot more ways to go and we can’t lose sight.”

“The mentality that they believe, which I think is very, very powerful, I think when there’s belief it’s really, really powerful,” said Bulls coach Billy Donovan. “There’s good connection. They’ve got good relationships. They all can talk to each other. I think there’s a lot of positive things that they have that really go into winning.”

Facing the Knicks again on Sunday and the red-hot Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, the Bulls can extend their lead in the East and continue to show their viability as a legitimate top team this season.

The post Chicago Bulls have their hottest start in close to 30 years appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls feel like they have a really good head coach. Billy Donovan has done a solid job since taking over, keeping the Bulls from being awful. They haven’t been great, but the coach just earned a significant contract extension, so Chicago believes it has its leader. Unfortunately, one insider isn’t so sure of that, ranking him closer to the bottom of the league when compared to all NBA coaches.

More News: NBA insider reveals reason for optimism for Chicago Bulls in 2025-26

Chicago Bulls coach ranked near bottom of NBA

More News: Chicago Bulls reveal devastating injury news on Coby White for start of season

While the Chicago Bulls have not been great under Billy Donovan, many would agree that front office decisions and a lackluster roster have been more at fault for that. Still, in Bleacher Report analyst Lee Escobedo’s rankings, Donovan was placed 21st in the league. That’s lower than a few interesting names:

• David Adelman
• Charles Lee
• Chauncey Billups

“The Florida years still ring bells. Back-to-back NCAA championships will do that. But since coaching in the NBA, Billy Donovan’s been the face of NBA mediocrity,” Escobedo wrote. “In Chicago, he’s managed just one playoff appearance in five seasons, two straight under .500 finishes, and a play-in flameout last season that felt inevitable. Statistically, his Bulls teams have hovered around league average across the board.”

The success hasn’t been there in the NBA for Donovan, but it’s hard to pin down whether or not that’s entirely his fault. Could another coach have made the DeMar DeRozan Zach LaVine core work? That was always a hard sell, and the current roster isn’t rife with star power, either.

“His Oklahoma City tenure told a similar story. Donovan inherited Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, reached the 2016 Western Conference Finals and then watched a 3-1 lead disappear to Golden State. That remains the high-water mark of his NBA career,” Escobedo continued. “So yes, the Bulls’ decision to extend Donovan makes sense from a stability standpoint. He’s steady, if not pedestrian. Even respected by his peers. But under his stewardship, Chicago has remained a treadmill.”

In Escobedo’s eyes, the Bulls could do a lot better. They could also do a lot worse, so it’s not all that surprising that the front office has thrown its lot fully in with Donovan for the foreseeable future.

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Billy Donovan enters his sixth season as the Chicago Bulls head coach, who has been okay in his tenure. Leading the Bulls to three straight play-in tournament losses, Donovan hopes this season will be different, with a few players showing some growth.

Donovan was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this past weekend for his head coaching career, which started in 1994 at Marshall. Some of Donovan’s players, Matas Buzelis, Dalen Terry, Patrick Williams, Ayo Dosunmu, and Coby White, were all in attendance to support their beloved head coach, which Donovan was grateful for.

Squad pulled up to watch Coach Billy Donovan officially join the @HoopHall pic.twitter.com/HxkNvkFJXx

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) September 6, 2025

Billy Donovan expresses his gratitude for a few Chicago Bulls players showing their support

Donovan wasn’t only thankful for receiving one of the highest honors in basketball, but also expressed his gratitude to a few of his players who came to support him in Massachusetts one week before training camp.

Donovan expresses his gratitude for his players’ support (via Bulls on CHSN):

“I’m grateful that the players in their last time, last weekend before we start to get ready for training camp, would take the time to come here and support me.”

"I'm grateful that the players in their last time, last weekend before we start to get ready for training camp, would take the time to come here and support me." pic.twitter.com/0jkW0DmIwa

— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) September 5, 2025

Donovan not only had his players to thank for showing up for him, but he also dedicated a portion of his speech to praising and thanking his former mentor, Rick Pitino, who has been a staple in Donovan’s life.

Donovan honors Hall of Famer Rick Pitino during acceptance speech

Hall of Fame basketball coach Rick Pitino attended the induction ceremony to watch his former player and colleague get inducted. Donovan played under Pitino while at Providence University (1983-87) and his one season with the New York Knicks (1987-88), and was hired by Pitino while he was the head coach at the University of Kentucky.

Donovan praises his mentor (via New York Basketball):

“He taught me about work, what it was to compete & what really went into winning…He took me to places I never ever could’ve dreamed”

"He taught me about work, what it was to compete & what really went into winning…He took me to places I never ever could've dreamed"

–– Long Island's Billy Donovan at the Hall of Fame on Rick Pitino, who coached him at Providence & the Knicks & hired him at Kentucky pic.twitter.com/XKVhdXpXaV

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) September 7, 2025

Getting inducted into the Hall of Fame is a tremendous honor and couldn’t happen to a better coach, who has proven to be a great talent developer in his career.

The post Billy Donovan expresses his gratitude for his players and his mentor appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The NBA held its annual Hall of Fame induction ceremonies this past weekend, seeing Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan get inducted among seven others. Donovan received his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame based on his college coaching career at the University of Florida (UF), where he spent 19 years (1996-2015) and won two National Championships (2006,2007).

Donovan took over as head coach of the Bulls for the 2020-21 season and has been an average coach, going 195-205. Known as a great developer, Donovan is well-liked by the players who have and still play for him, which is no surprise, as most of his current players tagged along to support him in his induction.

A few Chicago Bulls made the trip to Massachusetts to support their coach

Donovan wasn’t alone when he received his Hall of Fame jacket over the weekend, as five of Donovan’s current players joined him. Matas Buzelis, Dalen Terry, Ayo Dosunmi, Patrick Williams, and Coby White attended the event.

“Squad pulled up to watch Coach Billy Donovan officially join the @HoopHall”

Squad pulled up to watch Coach Billy Donovan officially join the @HoopHall pic.twitter.com/HxkNvkFJXx

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) September 6, 2025

White had some kind words to say about his head coach, who helped him grow with the Bulls, helping him be a two-time Player of the Week and Player of the Month in March of the Eastern Conference.

White commenting on Donovan (via Chicago Sports Network):

“He’s honest. He pushes you. He’s going to get the most out of you,” White insisted. “He’s always been upfront with me. But he also believes in his players … He builds a relationship with his players, which oftentimes you don’t see a good amount in the NBA,” said White.”

Coby White on why attending Billy Donovan’s HOF ceremony was important for him and his teammates (@CHSN_Bulls) pic.twitter.com/Hoo5fkqZje

— Chicago Sports Network (@CHSN__) September 7, 2025

The 2025-26 season is a big year for Donovan and the Bulls

Buzelis had a nice rookie season, White showed promise as a quality NBA player, and Dosunmu had been playing well until his injury. Hopefully, with all of them healthy, things will be better.

With Donovan as their coach, the Bulls could be a sneaky team in the East if all goes their way. If they want that to happen, they need to reach a deal with Josh Giddey, who remains unsigned.

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The Chicago Bulls have finished above .500 once since they hired Billy Donovan. As such, one insider doesn’t like extending him this offseason. The Bulls have been mediocre, and they’re not going anywhere, but they wanted to keep the coach who has led all of that anyway.

NBA insider doesn’t love Chicago Bulls signing Billy Donovan to an extension

The Chicago Bulls got a D+ for their offseason from Bleacher Report insider Zach Buckley, who took aim at a bunch of things the Bulls did (or did not do) this offseason. Only two teams got a D+ (the Brooklyn Nets as well), and only one team got a worse grade of F: the New Orleans Pelicans.

The overdue youth movement in Chicago still hasn’t really started, and that’s coming from someone who really liked the team spending the No. 12 pick on toolsy swingman Noa Essengue,” Buckley admitted. “The Bulls might have a couple of young building blocks in Essengue and Matas Buzelis, yet the overall direction of this club remains entirely underwhelming.”

The trade market this offseason was “hyperactive,” and Buckley couldn’t believe the Bulls couldn’t find more than just Lonzo Ball for Isaac Okoro over the offseason. He’s particularly shocked they didn’t trade Nikola Vucevic, too.

“Are the Bulls prepared to pay what it will take to keep 2026 free agents Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu around?” Buckley asked, “Because if the answer is anything other than a full-throated ‘Yes!’ then one or both should’ve been flipped for long-term assets.”

The insider criticized the Bulls for being committed to mediocrity, which is why he can’t understand the Billy Donovan extension. “The Bulls are basically running back after three consecutive play-in losses, and the coach who oversaw all of this pedestrian play inked a multi-year extension. Deep sigh,” he concluded.

This offseason could’ve been better. The Bulls could’ve gotten more for Isaac Okoro. They could’ve accepted the deal the New Orleans Pelicans offered them (a 2026 unprotected first to swap down). They could’ve traded Vucevic. Instead, they kept the gang together and extended the leader for probably more of the same down the line.

The post NBA analyst unhappy with Chicago Bulls extending Billy Donovan appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls finalized their decision on Billy Donovan’s future with the team. The choice won’t make a large segment of the fan base happy this offseason.

Reports surfaced that the Bulls were looking to extend Donovan amid the New York Knicks wanting to talk to him about their head coaching gig, and Chicago’s ownership extending the contract of Artūras Karnišovas, executive vice president of basketball operations.

The Chicago Bulls extended the contract of Billy Donovan

Per Chams Charania of ESPN, the Bulls signed Donovan to a multi-year contract extension.

“Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has signed a multiyear contract extension with the franchise, sources tell ESPN,” Charania posted on X. “Donovan is viewed as a leader within the Bulls organization, and will enter his sixth season in Chicago in 2025-26 with 800 NBA games coached over his career.

“The Bulls and Billy Donovan started negotiations at the end of last season and continued conversations through this week amid offseason planning, a brief pursuit of Donovan by the New York Knicks, and the draft, free agency and summer league.”

The Bulls and Billy Donovan started negotiations at the end of last season and continued conversations through this week amid offseason planning, a brief pursuit of Donovan by the New York Knicks, and the draft, free agency and summer league. https://t.co/hXAF7IWhgq

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 27, 2025

Donovan’s extension is puzzling. He left the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Bulls in 2020, not wanting to go through a rebuild in Oklahoma City. The Thunder won the NBA Finals in June.

Donovan has recorded a 195-205 record in five seasons in Chicago. The Bulls made the playoffs once during that time, losing to the Milwaukee Bucks 4-1 in the first round of the 2022 playoffs.

Chicago owner Jerry Reinsdorf has publicly backed the Hall of Fame coach. But this decision won’t be popular with the fan base.

The Bulls are set to let Donovan oversee a rebuild after failing with the last core, and there is no promise that Chicago’s future looks bright in the immediate or distant future.

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The Chicago Bulls are making a decisive decision on head coach Billy Donovan this offseason. Donovan is set to enter his sixth season as the head coach of the Bulls.

The New York Knicks recently requested permission to speak with the two-time national champion head coach at Florida, but the Bulls denied the request. K.C. Johnson of CHSN suggested the Knicks would possibly circle around to see if the Bulls would be willing to part with Donovan, coming off a 39-43 campaign with Chicago that ended in a blowout loss at home to the Miami Heat in the Play-In Tournament.

Johnson argued Donovan wasn’t expected to leave the Bulls, as the organization was “in love” with what he’s done during his time in Chicago.

The Chicago Bulls are making a decision on Billy Donovan

Per NBA insider Marc Stein, the Bulls are seeking to extend the contract of Donovan this summer.

“The Bulls are in the process of extending coach Billy Donovan’s contract, league sources tell @TheSteinLine. Donovan, of course, was one of five coaches under contract that the Knicks sought permission to speak to,” Stein posted on X.

The Bulls are in the process of extending coach Billy Donovan's contract, league sources tell @TheSteinLine.

Donovan, of course, was one of five coaches under contract that the Knicks sought permission to speak to.

More NBA from me: https://t.co/zUF9RvJwNI

: @CHGO_Bulls pic.twitter.com/FLQoDx6k33

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 15, 2025

Donovan, 60, has a 195-205 record with the Bulls. The two-time NBA Coach of the Year has a 438-362 career record as a head coach in the NBA, including five seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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The Chicago Bulls denied the New York Knicks’ initial request to speak with Billy Donovan about their coaching vacancy, but that doesn’t mean owner James Dolan is ready to give up on the legendary basketball coach.

The Knicks are scrambling to replace former Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau, who led the Knicks to the Eastern Conference finals this year, but lost to the Indiana Pacers in the six-game series.

The New York Knicks could circle back to Billy Donovan

Per K.C. Johnson of CHSN, the Knicks are believed to want to “circle back” on candidates who were no-goes on the first ask, and Donovan could be one of the names New York asks to speak with again.

“There are some whispers (Thursday), though, that the Knicks may circle back on some of these candidates they’ve been rejected from,” Johnson said. “They don’t really believe that it’s a firm no. There might be some wiggle room. I don’t yet know if that will involve Billy Donovan, but it could. This is a fluid story. We’ll see where it goes.”

"There are some whispers out there in the league tonight that the Knicks could circle back."@KCJHoop joins @camronsmith and @DavidHaugh on The Chicago Lead with the latest on the Bulls denying the Knicks' request to interview Billy Donovan. pic.twitter.com/TOl0NZfNei

— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) June 12, 2025

Johnson said the Bulls denied permission initially because they were “in love” with how Donovan is coaching the perennial-play-in Bulls. Johnson was asked if Donovan would entertain the Knicks if Chicago allowed New York to interview.

Donovan has ties to the Knicks

Johnson said that he values is relationship with the Bulls’ roster and front office, but does have strong ties with the Knicks, a team he played for in 1987-88.

“Long Island native, his (Donovan) only 44 games of NBA (playing) experience with the New York Knicks,” Johnson said. “Maurice Cheeks, his best friend in the league, is on the Knicks staff. He coached Jalen Brunson and has a good working relationship with the face of the franchise from a U18 USA Basketball Tournament a few years ago.

“So it does make a lot of sense for the Knicks to go,’ Are you sure that’s a no?’ if they want to go that direction. I’m not reporting that. I’m just saying if they want to go that direction, it makes a lot of sense for them to circle back and say, ‘Is that a her no or soft no?'”

The Chicago Bulls are expected to retain Donovan

Johnson said it was a “fluid story,” but posted on X Friday morning that he does not believe Donovan will leave Chicago this offseason.

“Reported this last night because at the time there sounded like there could be fluidity to story, even as Knicks, like multiple outlets and we reported, are now focusing on unemployed candidates,” Johnson wrote. “But Donovan isn’t going anywhere. He’s in Chicago to stay.”

Chicago should see what the Knicks want for Donovan, who has a 195-205 record with the Bulls. The two-time NBA Coach of the Year could be swapped for draft capital that would help the Bulls climb out of mediocrity faster.

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The Chicago Bulls finished the 2024-25 NBA season 39-43 and missed the playoffs for the third year in a row. In fact, they have only made the postseason once in five seasons under head coach Billy Donovan, in 2021-22, which also happens to be the only winning season they have enjoyed during his tenure.

Despite yet another disappointment, though, Chicago is confident in Donovan and the direction he is taking the team. This is evident by the fact that when the New York Knicks called asking to interview him for their recently opened head coaching role, the Bulls denied them.

The Chicago Bulls blocked the New York Knicks from interviewing Bill Donovan

For the first time in 30 years, the Knicks made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, they fell to the Indiana Pacers, who recently took a 2-1 lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals.

In a surprising twist, New York then fired head coach Tom Thibodeau. As fans will recall, Thibodeau got his start as a head coach with Chicago back in 2010. The Bulls went 62-20 in his first season and 50-16 in his second.

Since leaving Chicago, Thibodeau has coached the Minnesota Timberwolves and Knicks.

With Thibs out the door, New York has been asking other NBA teams for permission to interview their own head coaches for the Knicks’ vacancy. This included the Bulls, but they denied New York permission to talk to Donovan:

The Knicks requested permission to speak to Billy Donovan but were denied, per @KCJHoop pic.twitter.com/Ilsd8deRvs

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 12, 2025

Obviously, the Bulls have a great deal in faith in Donovan and believe he will be able to turn the franchise around. If they had not, they would have allowed New York to talk to him.

The Chicago Bulls are on a long list of teams that have turned down the New York Knicks

In addition to Donovan, the Knicks have requested to interview Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks), Ime Udoka (Houston Rockets), Chris Finch (Minnesota Timberwolves), and Quinn Schneider (Atlanta Hawks).

All of these teams have denied New York permission to interview their head coaches.

One has to wonder what the Knicks were thinking when they fired the first coach to take them to the Eastern Conference Finals this century with no plan other than trying to steal away another NBA team’s head coach.

More Chicago Bulls news from ChiCity Sports

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Things were different this year in the Chicago Bulls’ loss to the Miami Heat during Wednesday night’s Play-In Tournament. The Bulls scored 91 points in their first two defeats to Miami. Chicago scored just 90 to the Heat’s 109 on Wednesday night in front of 21,380 fans at the United Center.

In a game that mattered in the back half of April, the Bulls looked closer to the team that was thumped 145-117 by the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 31 than the team that went on a hot streak through most of March and April against fringe playoff teams, playoff teams operating with load management, or teams in the thick of trying to tank for Cooper Flagg.

Turnovers killed the Chicago Bulls’ chances

Following the season-ending loss to the Heat, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan spoke to reporters about what he saw from the bench. Donovan thought Chicago’s inability to control the basketball and turnovers cost them a chance to advance to play the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.

Josh Giddey led the Bulls with 25 points but had the second-most turnovers (3). Coby White finished with 17 points on 5-of-20 shooting and committed seven of the Bulls’ 17 turnovers.

A reporter asked Donovan if he felt Chicago was operating with a hand behind their back without an elite player on the roster.

Because of how the speed of the game has changed in recent years, Donovan thinks teams need an elite player or two instead of three, allowing for a roster to better be filled out at several positions rather than relying on a “big three.”

Billy Donovan: Josh Giddey and Coby White aren’t there yet

However, he realized the Bulls don’t have that elite player, and he’s not sure if Giddey, White, or Matas Buzelis will ever get there.

“Any great team, they have a guy that’s really, really elite,” Donovan said. “You know what I mean, and you can go, and a lot of times it’s in the backcourt, (Jalen) Brunson’s obviously great in New York (Knicks). Shai’s (Gilgeous-Alexander) been great in Oklahoma City (Thunder). (Van) Fleet’s really helped. You know, you can get (Steph) Curry. You can kind of go down the list.

“And I’m not saying needs to be a backcourt player, but, you know, I think Cobe made a really, really good jump. Wherever he gets to, I don’t know. Josh made a good jump as well, but to your point, the guys that you’re talking about, that is, and I’m sure those will be all things that the front office will take a look at as they go into the draft and into free agency and all those things…

“I think now you have to kind of build out a whole entire team. But clearly you need a really good player.”

2024-25 Play-in Postgame Media Availability https://t.co/U2XxJxvj3g

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) April 17, 2025

While Donovan is encouraged by the progress White and Giddey have made this season, the Bulls have a large gap to close if they want to contend in even a weak Eastern Conference.

Donovan sent a clear message to the front office that they need to add an elite player outside the organization to compete for better things than Play-In Tournaments.

It’s impossible to justify giving White and Giddey $70 million for a backcourt that we saw implode on Wednesday night. While Giddey put up numbers in the points column, he let the Heat score at will, ending the Bulls’ season.

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If the Chicago Bulls are going to make it out of the play-in game and into the playoffs, and then potentially make some noise, Matas Buzelis will be a huge part of it. The rookie has made huge strides down the stretch of his first NBA season, and he thinks Billy Donovan is directly responsible for that.

Billy Donovan guided Matas Buzelis to this point

Matas Buzelis had to spend some time in the G-League early in the year. He wondered after not getting minutes in the NBA if he was even good enough to play. He eventually made it back and progressively got more playing time, and he’s lately made the most of it.

He credits Billy Donovan’s tough love for helping him get through that. The rookie said that his coach holds him accountable for every single play on the court. “I remember one play at Golden State, he took me out when (Andrew) Wiggins posted me up and scored,” Buzelis said via the Chicago Tribune. “It’s little stuff like that. He challenges me in practice, and I thank him for that. He’s been a huge part of my development and probably the best coach I’ve ever had.”

Donovan flipped the conversation on its head, saying that Buzelis has the talent and now has the understanding of what kind of work ethic he needs to succeed at the NBA level. “He’s starting to see that his talent level is what got him here, but his talent level is not enough to be the individual player he wants to be,” the Chicago Bulls coach said.

The coach noted that Buzelis has taken a “hard look at himself” in terms of rest, hydration, and nutrition. He also said that his protégé has gotten much more into watching film, reading scouting reports, and studying game plans. “And not having a younger-player mentality, because he’s so gifted, of (thinking), ‘All I have to do is just show up and it’s going to be OK,'” Donovan added.

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The Chicago Bulls sealed their Play-In Tournament fate with a 119-89 win over the Washington Wizards on Friday night in front of 21,400 fans at the United Center.

The Bulls are set to host the Miami Heat in the Play-In Tournament on Wednesday night. A defeat in the contest means elimination, while the winner will play the loser of the matchup between the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic for the right to play the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in the first round of the playoffs.

This will be the third year in a row the Bulls will face the Heat in the Play-In Tournament. The Heat won the first two meetings, including a 112-91 rout last season in Miami.

Billy Donovan has kind words for Erik Spoelstra

Following the Bulls’ win over the Wizards, head coach Billy Donovan praised the Heat organization and head coach Erik Spoelstra for how they compete.

“Obviously, an enormous amount of respect (for the Heat), just the way they compete, the way they play,” said Billy Donovan, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “Got a lot of respect for (Spoelstra)]. Like most teams throughout the course of an NBA season, there’s always things you go through as a team, and certainly they went through their fair share this year.

“We’ve gone through ours. It’s one of those games for both teams where it’s one-and-done. It’s a great opportunity. The guys earned the right to be able to play in the game, and that’s a great thing. I’m excited about it.”

The Chicago Bulls swept the Miami Heat in the regular season

The Heat defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 153-104 on Friday night to improve their record to 37-44. The Bulls swept Miami 3-0 in the regular season series, including a 119-111 win at the United Center on Wednesday.

Like the Bulls, the Heat were sellers at the trade deadline. They traded Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors in an exchange that netted them Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, a protected first-round pick, and Davion Mitchell from the Toronto Raptors.

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The Chicago Bulls snapped their winning streak by collecting their first loss of April in Cleveland on Tuesday night. Despite three of the team’s starters not agreeing with the game plan, the Bulls’ coaching staff elected to sit a handful of players for the contest. This didn’t give the group on the floor much of a chance to succeed, with Cleveland having the best record in the league entering play on Tuesday.

With Josh Giddey, Kevin Huerter, Nikola Vucevic and Coby White on the shelf, an interesting starting five had to be put together by head coach Billy Donovan. Matas Buzelis was the most important starter that Bulls fans needed to watch last night, and he put together an alright game.

The rookie finished with 19 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals. He shot 6-12 from the field, but struggled from beyond the arc as he made just two of his seven three-point attempts. Buzelis finished 5-7 at the free throw line in his 28th career start.

Another former first round draft pick of the Bulls drew into last night’s starting five. The forward had his best game of the season when he needed it the most.

Patrick Williams had a big game for the Chicago Bulls

Williams made his 36th start of the year on Tuesday and it was by far his best game of the season. The forward posted a team-high 21 points to go with five assists and three rebounds in the 135-113 loss. Williams shot the ball extremely well and efficiently in the contest, which is something he has not done much this year. He finished the game shooting 7-11 from the field, 5-6 from three-point range and 2-2 at the free throw line.

The former Florida State Seminole is averaging 9.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per season on 39.6% shooting from the field. He has been coming off the bench for most of the year with his role never being officially solidified by the coaching staff based on his inconsistent play.

The last month where Williams was averaging double-figures in the scoring department came back in January, with February and March being his worst months of the season. Williams could work himself into the rotation entering the play-in tournament on a more consistent basis if he can put together a strong final month of the regular season.

The Chicago Bulls should still move on from Patrick Williams

Williams still has three more years plus a player option remaining on the five-year contract extension he signed of the summer. While he is just 23-years-old, Williams has not played up to his draft status and has been extremely disappointing as a professional so far. He is averaging 9.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game on 45.3% shooting from the field in his five NBA seasons.

If there is any kind of market for Williams, the Bulls front office needs to do what they can to give him a change of scenery. His poor play and $18 million per season salary will not help in making him an attractive piece on the trade market, but the right buyer could come around if they see any sort of potential in the young forward.

The post Chicago Bulls’ power forward showed up when he absolutely needed to on Tuesday appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls enter their matchup Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets with a 35-42 record, good enough for ninth place in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls have five more games remaining in the regular season before they will appear in the Play-In Tournament.

Donovan has a 191-204 record in his fifth season with the Bulls. Chicago appears headed for a rebuild after trading Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan in the past year.

Billy Donovan won a HOF award amid a losing season

It was unclear how safe Donovan was with the Bulls before the upcoming offseason, as the team will finish the regular season with a losing record for a fourth time under the legendary head coach.

On Saturday, Donovan was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The 59-year-old coach had an incredible career at Florida, winning two national titles and taking the Gators to four Final Four appearances.

Chicago Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf of Donovan

Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf gave a telling quote regarding Donovan when he congratulated the head coach on his nomination to the HOF.

“Billy’s enshrinement into the Basketball Hall of Fame is a testament to a lifetime spent giving everything to the game,” Reinsdorf said via the NBA’s website. “It goes beyond his incredible success as a coach—it’s about the relationships he’s built, the players he’s mentored, and the countless lives he’s touched along the way. Billy has a remarkable basketball mind, but what truly sets him apart is who he is as a person.

“He leads with humility, heart, and a genuine care for everyone around him. Whether it’s his players, his staff, or our community, he always puts others first. We’re incredibly proud to have him as part of the Bulls family, and on behalf of the entire organization, I want to congratulate him on this well-earned and well-deserved honor.”

Donovan’s job appears safe

Per Reinsdorf’s comments, it doesn’t appear that the Bulls are ready to lose one of their “family” members after the season, even if they cannot make the playoffs.

Donovan could be a part of a rebuild in Chicago, something that he missed out on before when he left the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2020, who now have the association’s best record. Hopefully, the Bulls will give Donovan the necessary pieces to save the team from mediocrity.

Donovan’s success in getting this team to the Play-In Tournament is a testament of his coaching skills, but could be a detriment to his future success.

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The Chicago Bulls hired head coach Billy Donovan to usher in a new era of Bulls basketball, helping to lead this team to the Finals and win a championship.

So far in his tenure as head coach, Donovan hasn’t proven to have success with the Bulls as he had with the Oklahoma City Thunder and when he coached the Florida Gators, where he had a ton of success.

Even though Donovan hasn’t found much success here in Chicago, he did receive a massive honor for his past achievements at the University of Florida.

Chicago Bulls head coach elected to the Hall of Fame

It was announced through Bulls on CHSN that Donovan would be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2025.

“Congratulations to Billy Donovan for being named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame!”

Congratulations to Billy Donovan for being named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame! pic.twitter.com/guPwCiGaJL

— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) April 5, 2025

Donovan will be joined in the Hall of Fame by Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Mickey Arison, Sue Bird, Tal Brody, and Sylvia Fowles.

Donovans career

Donovan started coaching as the Flordia Gators’ head coach in 1996 and spent 19 seasons with the University of Florida until he departed for the NBA in 2015.

During his tenure as head coach for the Gators, Donovan led them to two national championships, where they won back-to-back years in 2006 and 2007.

He also has four Final Four appearances, six Southeastern Conference championships, and four SEC Tournament Titles. He also has 467 career wins under his belt.

Donovan left the University of Florida in 2015 when he took over head coaching responsibilities for the Oklahoma City Thunder. During his five seasons with the Thunder, Donovan accumulated a record of 243-157.

Donovan left Oklahoma City after the 2019-2020 season to become the Bull’s head coach in September 2020. In his five seasons in Chicago, Donovan hasn’t found the same success that he did with the Thunder, accumulating a record of 191-204.

Congratulations to Coach Donovan for getting one of the highest honors in basketball!!

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Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan wasn’t ready to completely celebrate Matas Buzelis’ career achievement on Friday night. The rookie earned his first double-double in the Bulls’ 118-113 win over the Portland Trail Blazers in front of 21,572 fans at the United Center.

Buzelis recorded 10 rebounds and 12 points, including a key three-point shot with 1:56 remaining in the fourth quarter that put Chicago ahead 111-106. Buzelis also had a nice defensive moment late in the game when he blocked Jabari Walker’s three-point attempt with 26 seconds left.

Chicago Bulls’ Billy Donovan wants better defense

However, following the game, Donovan called out Buzelis for his defense. Per Brian Sandalow of the Chicago Sun-Times, Donovan said the No. 11 pick in the 2024 draft needed to show progress on positioning, become a strong player, and learn team personnel.

“He’s got to be able to navigate through screens better,” Donovan said. “The one thing about him, when he is on the ball and guys do drive on him, he’s gotten much better at using his length and not fouling — really rim-protecting, blocking shots.”

Donovan is prepping Matas Buzelis for the postseason

The Bulls rank 24th in defensive rating in the NBA at 115.4. Buzelis has a season average defensive rating of 112.2.

Donovan is trying to develop Buzelis and prepare him and the Bulls for a postseason run.

Chicago has five more games remaining in the regular season. They will then participate in the Play-In Tournament.

Following their win Friday night, the Bulls are tied with the Miami Heat with a 35-42 record. The Atlanta Hawks have a 1.5 game lead on the Bulls and Heat for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference.

Chicago will next play the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday at noon CST.

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On Tuesday night, the Chicago Bulls clinched a berth in the Play-In Tournament by defeating the Toronto Raptors 137-118 in front of 20,005 fans at the United Center. But the team has serious concerns about being a one-trick pony before the postseason.

The Bulls snapped a two-game losing streak by beating a Raptors team that fell to 28-48. The win didn’t exactly take the bad taste out of Chicago’s mouth after an embarrassing 145-117 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night.

The Bulls had a strong March, winning nine out of 11 games before they lost to the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.

But two losses to postseason contenders in the Western Conference paint a more sobering picture about the expectations for the Bulls’ roster, especially considering that the team’s winning streak hurts its odds of claiming a higher draft pick in the lottery.

The Chicago Bulls have to adjust

On Tuesday, Donovan told reporters after the game that making the postseason was important for the development of his players. However, he also said that teams are starting to figure out how the Bulls strategized during their winning streak, and he’s running out of ideas on how to adjust with the given roster.

‘‘For us, we’ve been so good in transition and playing fast that our guys have to realize that teams are going to adjust or make that an incredibly high level of emphasis,’’ Donovan said via Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. ‘‘The next iteration for us is that, yeah, on the (4-2) West Coast (trip), we were going downhill, getting to the rim, getting to the basket.

You saw Coby (White) getting fouled, Josh Giddey getting fouled. Teams are watching that. They’re not going to continue to let those guys do that night after night after night. Now we’ve got to adjust: ‘That’s not there now. Now what’s open, what’s available?’ ’’

The Bulls live and die by transition buckets and attacking the rim. Teams like the Raptors (who are in tank mode) aren’t going to stop Chicago.

Billy Donovan has to find a new strength

Donovan knows he’s running out of time to develop a new plan before his roster has to compete against high-intensity defenses in the postseason.

‘‘Transition has been a huge strength,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘The game against Denver, I think we scored 31 (fast-break) points against them in their place (March 24). Teams are looking at that: ‘Gotta get back, build a wall, show your hands, put your hands up. Coby White’s taken seven free throws, Giddey is getting seven, eight, nine free throws.’

“Now we can’t keep just barreling into people when guys are showing hands and we’re not getting calls. We’ve got to adjust.’’

The Bulls’ next two games are against sub .500 teams, the Portland Trail Blazers and Charlotte Hornets. Then, Chicago will have two true tests against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 8 and the Miami Heat on April 9.

The Bulls might want to see how Giddey and White can adapt this month before they decide to give them $70 million per year.

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The Chicago Bulls learned a tough lesson in their 120-119 loss to the Dallas Mavericks at the United Center on Saturday night. The team needed to keep their focus on the Mavs instead of riding the high of their miraculous comeback over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.

Chicago’s loss to Dallas was costly for their playoff hopes. The Bulls had an opponent to pull within 1.5 games of the Orlando Magic for the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference. Instead, Chicago is tied with the Miami Heat for the No. 9 spot in the East.

The difference between the No. 7 seed and No. 10 seed in the Play-In Tournament is huge.

The No. 7 seed has a home game and needs only one win to advance to the playoffs. The No. 10 seed needs to win two games on the road to make the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.

Matas Buzelis: Chicago’s Bulls taking this one game at a time

Following the loss on Saturday night, rookie Matas Buzelis told reporters the Bulls aren’t worried about where they will ultimately be seeded for the Play-In Tournament. The team is focused on one game at a time.

“We’re just (taking it) one step at a time,” Buzelis said via Shakeia Taylor of The Athletic. “We’ve got OKC next, so that’s what we’re focused on. We were focused on Dallas before the game. We’re not looking into the future. We’re in the moment.”

On Monday night, the Bulls will play on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder own the association’s best record at 62-12. Following that contest, Chicago has seven regular season games in April to complete, only the Cleveland Cavaliers have a record above .500.

The Bulls have a good chance to win six of their eight games remaining and earn a No. 7-8 seed for the Play-In Tournament. To do so, Chicago needs to put Saturday’s humbling loss to a shorthanded Mavs team behind them.

Billy Donovan: Bills cannot get too emotional

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said the team can’t get too emotional after wins or losses as they finish the regular season.

“I would think that from Atlanta to ourselves to Orlando to Miami, every single game you’re jockeying there. We’re all kind of bunched up together,” Donovan said. “Miami was a game behind us. We were maybe a game behind Atlanta. Everybody’s bunched up and all of these games are like that.

“We’ve tried to treat it like that. There’s emotions that go either way. And if you win a game or lose a game, you’ve got to be able to pick yourself back up.”

This is where veteran center Nikola Vucevic needs to be a leader in the locker room.

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The Chicago Bulls appeared to still be hungover on Saturday night from their miraculous buzzer-beating win over the Los Angeles Lakers two nights earlier. The Bulls let down their guard against a shorthanded Dallas Mavericks team in a 120-119 loss in front of 21,045 fans at the United Center.

The Bulls entered their contest against the Mavs with a four-game winning streak. Chicago had earned that winning streak by playing aggressive and smart. On Saturday night, the Bulls struggled with defense and turnovers against Dallas, turning over the ball 19 times to the Mavs’ six turnovers.

The Chicago Bulls didn’t have that “pop”

Following the game, head coach Billy Donovan told reporters that he thought the turnovers hurt the Bulls’ chances of winning. He thought the team didn’t have the “pop” they showed in previous contests during the winning streak.

“I didn’t think we kind of had it tonight, to be quite honest, the pop that was there (before),” Donovan said via Cody Westerlund of 670 The Score. “I thought our guys were trying, but like to me, the carelessness with the turnovers, I thought that really impacted the game.

“I thought we got too deep into the lane. I thought we could’ve generated and manufactured better shots. I didn’t think it was a lack of effort there. It was just a game that was a struggle for us.”

Billy Donovan was worried before the game

Donovan hinted before the game that he was worried about the “pop” his young roster would have against the Mavs after defeating the Lakers in dramatic fashion on Thursday night.

“They’ve got to be able to handle the emotion,” Donovan said. “That’s another part, I think, of the growth that we’ve got to make as a team. Because if at some point you do want to get to the playoffs, sometimes those playoff games can be really, really emotional from one game to the next and you’ve got to be able to flush those games and be able to refocus and raise your energy level and not have it zapped.

“Sometimes you can have heartbreaking losses or really, really emotional wins. It’s about how you come back off of that. We need to put that behind us and be able to move forward.”

A harsh lesson indeed.

The Bulls weren’t able to put that win behind them, and it cost them a chance to improve their seeding for the Play-In Tournament. At 33-41, Chicago is tied for the No. 9 spot in the Eastern Conference with the Miami Heat.

The Bulls need to learn how to move on from the highs of winning a close game against a playoff-caliber team if they ever want to make a deep playoff run themselves.

If this roster isn’t capable of sustaining consistent successes against playoff-caliber teams, they’re wasting the fans’ time and the ownership’s money on more mediocre Play-In Tournament games.

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The Chicago Bulls season started so poorly that the team traded away Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings to start a rebuild in head coach Billy Donovan’s fifth season.

However, executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas recently praised Donovan for how he’s dealt with the roster in the last few seasons. Chicago is “impressed” with how Donovan adjusted the team’s offense.

The Chicago Bulls made a decision on Billy Donovan

Per a report by the Chicago Sun-Times on Thursday, the Bulls are expected to retain Donovan and Karnisovas amid a disappointing 22-33 record before the NBA All-Star break that has Chicago in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.

While Donovan’s Bulls are struggling, the accomplished college coach is in line for a major promotion in 2025.

Donovan is a finalist to be promoted to the Hall of Fame

Per the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Donovan is a finalist in the Class of 2025.

Coach of the Chicago Bulls, a Class of 2025 Finalist, Coach Billy Donovan. #25HoopClass pic.twitter.com/9ZBOrFNdv9

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) February 14, 2025

Donovan has had a storied basketball career

The History Museum and Hall of Fame is based in Springfield, Massachusetts, and is dedicated to preserving the history of basketball. The Hall of Fame honors professional and amateur athletes and coaches.

Donovan has a storied career as a point guard for Providence under head coach Joe Mullaney and then head coach Rick Pitino. Donovan was selected with the No. 68 pick in the 1987 draft by the Utah Jazz. He spent time with the New York Knicks before going into coaching, working under Pitino as an assistant at Kentucky.

Donovan is best known for making four Final Four appearances and winning two national championships (2006 and 2007) with the Florida Gators. He went 502-206 as a head coach in college in 19 years at Florida and two seasons at Marshall.

Donovan left Florida for the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2015. The Thunder made it as far as the Western Conference finals in his first season with the Thunder. Donovan has a 399-319 record as a head coach in the NBA.

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The Chicago Bulls are entering the NBA All-Star break on a four-game losing streak. The Bulls have a 22-33 record, good enough for 10th place in the Eastern Conference.

The Bulls are in rebuild mode following their trade of Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings earlier in the month. Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas told the media that Chicago intends to try and make the Play-In tournament after failing to finalize a trade for Lonzo Ball or Nikola Vucevic.

Chicago Bulls make decision on Arturas Karnisovas

Per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Bulls have no plans to fire head coach Billy Donovan or Karnisovas.

“It was not the kind of news that Bulls fans needed to hear to start the All-Star Weekend, but it shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise,” Cowley wrote. “A Bulls source told the Sun-Times on Thursday that there were no plans to remove executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas from his position, and it was a solid bet that general manager Marc Eversley and head coach Billy Donovan were equally as safe.”

The Bulls are impressed with Billy Donovan

The front office is “impressed” with Donovan, who has a 178-195 record during his five years with the Bulls.

“Donovan, especially, is well-liked by both the front office and ownership, with all involved impressed with the way he flipped the offensive playing style so dramatically in just one season, as well as the relationships he has developed within the locker room,” Cowley wrote. “And while front-office accountability seemingly remains nothing but a six-syllable word at 1901 W. Madison St., there is a reoccurring edict being issued by ownership to the front office: Fix it.”

Karnisovas has been with the Bulls since April of 2020.

The Bulls’ last playoff appearance was in 2022 when Chicago lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in five games in the first round.

Bulls fans are fed up with Karnisovas’ inability to make trades and steer the team in a clear direction. Donovan hasn’t had success in developing young talent, an issue that will be concerning if Chicago lands a top draft pick this summer.

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After trading Zach LaVine, at least publicly, the plan was for the Chicago Bulls not to tank for a high draft pick but to compete to make the Play-In at the end of the regular season.

The Bulls didn’t appear to be legitimately trying to win on Tuesday night when the Detroit Pistons blew them out 132-92 in front of 18,321 fans at the United Center on Tuesday night.

The Bills trailed 71-29 at halftime.

The offensive effort was better for Chicago in the second half, but the team didn’t look competitive on defense.

Billy Donovan was embarrassed by the Chicago Bulls effort

Following the game, head coach Billy Donovan responded in two words to the Bulls’ effort, per K.C. Johnson of CHSN.

“It’s embarrassing,” Donovan said.

Via Johnson:

“Donovan burned early timeouts in both halves and just said he did so because he felt the Pistons physically overwhelmed the Bulls.”

Billy Donovan: “It’s embarrassing.”

Donovan burned early timeouts in both halves and just said he did so because he felt the Pistons physically overwhelmed the Bulls

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) February 12, 2025

Nikola Vucevic takes the blame

Per Johnson, Nikola Vucevic shouldered the blame for Tuesday night.

“It honestly started with me,” Vucevic said. “As oldest guy on team and leader, I didn’t bring the physicality and approach I needed to. I have to be better.”

Vucevic recorded eight points, three rebounds, 1 assist, and one block in the loss.

Chicago will play Detroit again on Wednesday night. Per ESPN BET, the Bulls are 6.5-point underdogs to the Pistons.

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The Chicago Bulls officially started giving up on their season on Sunday night when they sent Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings as part of a three-way trade. The Bulls lost their best offensive piece and a cornerstone of the team since 2017.

The Bulls appear ready to dismantle more of the roster before Thursday’s trade deadline. The team needs to continue to shed pieces of their former core as they move on.

Chicago’s strategy to rebuild made some wonder what the future status of head coach Billy Donovan will be. Donovan left his job with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2020 to join the Bulls.

Reports surfaced that Donovan left OKC because he didn’t want to be a part of their rebuild. (The Thunder currently have the Western Conference’s best record.)

Bill Donovan explains his thoughts on a rebuild

Per Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune, Donovan said he’s not afraid of the Bulls’ plans to rebuild. He dismissed the idea that he “had no interest” in being part of a rebuilding team.

Via Poe:

“Billy Donovan says he is not deterred by coaching a rebuild in Chicago: “There was maybe a lot of things said or put out there publicly that I had no interest in a rebuild — that’s not true. I never said that. Never felt like that. … I want to be part of building something.”

Billy Donovan says he is not deterred by coaching a rebuild in Chicago: “There was maybe a lot of things said or put out there publicly that I had no interest in a rebuild — that’s not true. I never said that. Never felt like that. … I want to be part of building something.”

— Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) February 4, 2025

The Chicago Bulls will have a decision to make on Donovan

Donovan looked like he was the right hire for the Bulls up until Lonzo Ball’s injury. Frankly, that’s when Chicago’s championship dreams fell apart.

Donovan is 177-191 during his five seasons with Chicago. He hasn’t had a winning campaign since 2021-22. It remains to be seen if the Bulls trust Donovan as the architect for the next team.

Patience on both sides will be required.

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The Chicago Bulls are amid a tailspin which is sending them into a possible rebuild.

With the trade deadline fast approaching the Bulls roster could look completely different in the next few weeks.

During the Bull’s recent struggles their starting power forward Patrick Williams has also fallen on hard times with being nowhere to be seen for the Bulls offensively all month.

Before the Bulls game against the Denver Nuggets Monday head coach Billy Donovan made some changes to the Bulls starting lineup.

Patrick Williams out of the Chicago Bulls lineup

Before the Bull’s games against the fourth-place Denver Nuggets head coach Billy Donovan decided to remove Williams from the starting lineup per Bulls insider K.C. Johnson.

“Patrick Williams not starting“

Patrick Williams not starting https://t.co/vFDY84riNe

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 28, 2025

Johnson also added that instead of Williams Bulls rookie sensation Matas Buzelis will be the 6th man in tonight’s ballgame.

”Matas Buzelis is 6th man ahead of Patrick Williams“

Matas Buzelis is 6th man ahead of Patrick Williams

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 28, 2025

“Patrick Williams removal as starter is significant for many reasons but here are 2: Previously, Billy Donovan has cited matchups/defense as reason PWil started. Bulls are starting 4 guards against a 6-10 power forward in Michael Porter Jr. Plus, 2 are on minutes limit in Ayo/Ball”

Patrick Williams removal as starter is significant for many reasons but here are 2: Previously, Billy Donovan has cited matchups/defense as reason PWil started. Bulls are starting 4 guards against a 6-10 power forward in Michael Porter Jr. Plus, 2 are on minutes limit in Ayo/Ball

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 28, 2025

The former first-round pick in the 2020 NBA draft has not had the best month with so far virtually being nowhere to be seen in the Bulls offense. In 13 games played this month, Williams has averaged 25.7 minutes, 7 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, while only shooting 31.7% from the floor and a terrible 28.8% from three.

Williams’s season averages are no better averaging 9.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists in 26.6 minutes played and in 35 games started. Williams’s poor play hasn’t gone unnoticed with head coach Billy Donovan feeling that Williams is doing too much and is being overly aggressive which is leading to poor play as of late. 

Buzeli finally getting more minutes 

Fans have been clamoring for the 20-year-old rookie to get more minutes while leading the team in blocks and being second in dunks with only averaging a little over 12 minutes a game. Buzelis is having a respectable rookie campaign playing in 42 games for the Bulls averaging 4.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, .4 assists, and shooting 37.6% from the field.

With Willaims struggling the way he has been and Buzelis having success a change needed to be made to get back to winning ballgames. Having Buzeli get more experience as the Bull’s 6th man should do wonders for his development and means that the Bulls are finally embracing allowing the rookie to play to see what he can do on the court. 

Hopefully, this is the case moving forward

Hopefully, this lineup moving forward can give the Bulls more success and get them back on the winning track. 

With Buzelis now getting more minutes it should be exciting to see how he handles the pressure and how he can respond to it. 

Having Buzelis succeed in this new role will be key for the Bulls to have success with the Bulls stating Buzelis is ‘untouchable’ in trade talks and someone they want to build around. 

The post Chicago Bulls rookie to play over struggling starter: Insider appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls so far in January have played poorly being 4-9 this month and are trending downward with their latest loss on Saturday to the Philadelphia 76ers.

One of the Bulls starters power forward Patrick Williams was nowhere to be seen in the loss and has been nowhere to be seen offensively this whole month.

Williams and head coach Billy Donovan were asked about his play, and both gave drastically different answers as to what was going on with Williams.

An abysmal month of January for the Chicago Bulls Patrick Williams

The former first-round pick in the 2020 NBA draft has not had the best month so far with virtually being nowhere to be seen in the Bulls offense. In 13 games played this month, Williams has averaged 25.7 minutes, 7 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, while only shooting 31.7% from the floor and a terrible 28.8% from three.

Williams’s season averages are no better averaging 9.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists in 26.6 minutes played and in 35 games started. Williams’s poor play hasn’t gone unnoticed with head coach Billy Donovan feeling that Williams is doing too much and is being overly aggressive which is leading to poor play as of late with Bulls insider K.C. Johnson there to grab the quote.

“Billy Donovan on Patrick Williams: “I think he’s trying to be aggressive. He just hasn’t converted well.”

Billy Donovan on Patrick Williams: “I think he’s trying to be aggressive. He just hasn’t converted well.”

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 26, 2025

Williams responded when asked if he lost confidence in his game by stating that if he knew what was wrong, he would’ve already fixed it.

“More Williams: “I know what I’ve done in this league. My teammates know. My coaches know. That’s why they’re so on me. Nobody wants it more than me. I guarantee you that. If I had answers, it would be fixed already. All I know is work. That’s what got me here. Work through it.”

More Williams: "I know what I've done in this league. My teammates know. My coaches know. That's why they're so on me. Nobody wants it more than me. I guarantee you that. If I had answers, it would be fixed already. All I know is work. That's what got me here. Work through it." https://t.co/lqE1sjtjSk

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 26, 2025

This sounds like Williams is lost offensively and is indeed trying to do too much in the way of forcing shots and committing unnecessary fouls to force himself out of this slump. Williams needs to slow the game down and let it come to him to get back on track.

William’s name has been floated on the trade block

The Bulls are possibly looking to be sellers at next month’s deadline with this season not going as they had hoped it would. There has been a ton of interest in stars like Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic who could be moved, but the Bulls have also put out feelers to gauge the interest for the 23-year-old Williams.

Williams could benefit from a change of scenery if he doesn’t turn his play around by the Feb. 6 deadline and could bring back a decent haul of either picks or players. Moving Williams could benefit the Bulls with rookie forward Matas Buzelis impressing while out on the court and set to partake in the NBA Dunk Contest during the All-Star break. There are also growing calls for Buzelis to play more from fans with him being the team’s leading in blocks while only averaging 12 minutes per game.

Williams needs to turn it around

Time will tell if Williams will be traded at next month’s deadline to make room for Buzelis to get more minutes off the bench.

With three games left in the month, there is still a chance for Williams to turn things around so he can go into the All-Star break with a ton of confidence.

The post Chicago Bulls star forward possibly lost his confidence appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls have not had a great month of January so far having a below .500 record at 4-8 for the month.

The Bull’s recent play has been poor with some players seemingly giving little effort during crunch time which led head coach Billy Donovan to burn a timeout and go animated towards young guys for their lack of effort in the closing minutes of Thursday’s ball game against the Warriors.

It seems like Donovan’s message is starting to trickle down finally to the players with Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu being equally as frustrated as Donovan.

Dosunmu speaks out on the Chicago Bulls lack of consistency

While speaking to the media after the Bull’s loss to the Golden State Warriors Dosunmu was frustrated with the Bull’s lack of effort and consistency and the Bulls on CHSN was there to capture all that Dosunmu had to say.

“That’s more the way that I try to look at it.” Ayo on his frustration in trying to find consistency.”

"That's more the way that I try to look at it."

Ayo on his frustration in trying to find consistency. pic.twitter.com/0k3u9IJ4qy

— Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) January 24, 2025

Dosunmu has given the Bulls a productive season by averaging 30.4 minutes with 12.4 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.8 rebounds, and is shooting 49.5% from the floor and a low 32.4% from beyond the arc. Dosunmu has also appeared in 34 of the Bull’s possible 45 games this season missing some time with a right lower calf strain.

The Bull’s major issues

Donovan put it the best with what the Bull’s problem is and that is they play down to their competition and they get outrebounded and turn the ball over too much.

“We’re good enough to do that against anybody. So, I don’t even look at it as playing up or playing down. If we don’t play to our potential, it doesn’t make a difference who’s out there,” Donovan said before Wednesday’s game, per Scotty White of Clutch Points.

“We have to play to what we’ve tried to establish as our identity for most of the year, and for the most part, we’ve done a pretty good job. But certainly, the things that have hurt us at times have been the rebounding, which was a factor yesterday, and then also the turnovers. That was a problem as well. But we’ve got to be able to do better [with] some of the things that we have control over.”

That has been the Bull’s biggest issue in turnovers and giving up too many second-chance points off the offensive glass. The Bulls have let their opponents grab 149 offensive rebounds this month, while they were only able to take down 132 offensive boards of their own. For the turnover department, it is much worse with the Bulls giving up 166 TO to their opponents 143. The Bulls have also allowed a staggering 618 points in the paint while only scoring just 36 points more of their own at 654. 

To right this ship the Bulls have to limit the turnovers as well as box out and rebound better so second-chance points aren’t scored as often against them. This lack of effort is what led to Donovan being forced to call a timeout to make his young players understand that they need to show more effort and take better care of the basketball which Bulls inside K.C. Johnson witnessed. 

“Billy Donovan said he called late timeout, where he was animated with the young players because he didn’t like the way that unit was playing. Said Bulls lost their identity in the second half.”

Billy Donovan said he called late timeout, where he was animated with the young players, because he didn’t like the way that unit was playing. Said Bulls lost their identity in second half. https://t.co/iQgopXOqNj

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 24, 2025

Will the Bulls turn things around? 

Time will ultimately tell if the Bulls have it in them to turn things around and pull themselves out of this spiral they are in. 

With the trade deadline fast approaching and players like Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic garnering more and more interest the Bulls roster could change a lot in the next few weeks. 

It is on the Bulls’s young players and their veterans to quickly turn things around if they want to have any hope of not going into another rebuild. 

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The Chicago Bulls have not been playing their best basketball at all this season. Sitting 19-26 and tenth in the Eastern Conference standings the Bulls are free falling fast.

The Bulls got destroyed in their latest joust with the Golden State Warriors in which they lost 131-106. In the game, Steph Curry scored his historic 3,900 three-pointer against the Bulls to cap it all off.

Head Coach Billy Donovan has not been happy with how the Bulls have been playing with his recent quotes and last night showed it with how animated he got at the end of the game.

The Chicago Bulls are in a free-fall

The Bulls have not been playing excellent basketball as of late having a below .500 record in January with a record of 4-8. The Bulls in that span have been outscored 1,416-1,061 for a point difference of 356 points which is terrible.

It also doesn’t help that the Bulls are currently dealing with their star point guard Coby White being sidelined with an ankle injury with head coach Billy Donovan not giving a clear timetable for a return. Not having Whites production for the time being will hamper the Bulls especially if they are sellers at the deadline.

The Bull’s biggest problem this season is allowing so many second-chance points off the offensive glass and having way too many turnovers. The combination of these two things is a perfect recipe for this type of play.

Head Coach Billy Donovan has had it

During last night’s game toward the tail end, Donovan called a time-out per K.C. Johnson and was irate with how his young players were performing.

“Billy Donovan said he called late timeout, where he was animated with the young players because he didn’t like the way that unit was playing. Said Bulls lost their identity in the second half.”

Billy Donovan said he called late timeout, where he was animated with the young players, because he didn’t like the way that unit was playing. Said Bulls lost their identity in second half. https://t.co/iQgopXOqNj

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 24, 2025

This frustration would track from Donovan who recently was quoted as saying that he felt his team had been playing down to their opponents.

“We’re good enough to do that against anybody. So, I don’t even look at it as playing up or playing down. If we don’t play to our potential, it doesn’t make a difference who’s out there,” Donovan said before Wednesday’s game, per Scotty White of Clutch Points.

“We have to play to what we’ve tried to establish as our identity for most of the year, and for the most part, we’ve done a pretty good job. But certainly, the things that have hurt us at times have been the rebounding, which was a factor yesterday, and then also the turnovers. That was a problem as well. But we’ve got to be able to do better [with] some of the things that we have control over.”

The Bulls are good enough to compete with any of the top teams in the NBA with their stars playing at All-Star caliber levels. However, it’s hard to argue with Donovan’s assessment of the team and disagree with how frustrated he is. Especially when some players such as Josh Giddey are so hot and cold on the offensive end you don’t know what you’re getting on any given night.

Furthering the Bulls downfall 

With the Bulls primed to be sellers in less than two weeks the frustrating play possibly will continue.

Potentially not having key offensive threats in White or Zach LaVine and their number one rebounder in Nikola Vucevic the Bull’s spiral will most likely continue, but hopefully, the Bulls can quickly turn things around.

The post Chicago Bulls Head Coach irate after latest loss appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls are 3-7 in their last seven games and are currently in the midst of a five-game losing streak with the Portland Trailblazers handing the Bulls their most recent loss. 

Sitting tenth in the Eastern Conference standings and having a record of 18-25 the Bulls are likely to be sellers at next month’s trade deadline with both their stars Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic drawing interest from teams. 

This losing streak could continue with the possibility of Bulls point guard Coby White potentially missing time with a sore ankle. There is one key reason according to a Bulls insider why the Bulls have been losing.

Insider reveals key reason for the Chicago Bulls losing streak

According to Bulls insider K.C. Johnson of CHSN, reports that the Bulls during their five-game losing streak have been letting up too many second-chance points. 

“5th straight game Bulls have allowed 20 or more 2nd-chance points“

5th straight game Bulls have allowed 20 or more 2nd-chance points

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 20, 2025

Giving up that many points on the offensive glass is unacceptable and shows a lack of effort in rebounding. The Bulls in that five-game span have been outrebounded 244-236 according to my count. Another key factor in the Bulls’ losing streak is their sloppy play with the basketball recording 69 turnovers during this losing streak to their opponent’s total of 56. The Bulls have also let up 276 points in the paint. 

This was a concern of head coach Billy Donovan

The Head Coach of the Bulls Billy Donovan has already expressed that the Bull’s lack of rebounding and lack of overall effort is another contributing factor to this recent skid. Donovan’s main concern was he felt the Bulls were playing down to their competition with him expressing: 

“We’re good enough to do that against anybody. So, I don’t even look at it as playing up or playing down. If we don’t play to our potential, it doesn’t make a difference who’s out there,” Donovan said before Wednesday’s game,

“We have to play to what we’ve tried to establish as our identity for most of the year, and for the most part, we’ve done a pretty good job. But certainly, the things that have hurt us at times have been the rebounding, which was a factor yesterday, and then also the turnovers. That was a problem as well. But we’ve got to be able to do better [with] some of the things that we have control over.”

Having a combination of being outrebounded, losing the turnover battle, and as K.C. Johnson said allowing so many second-chance points is the perfect recipe to send a team into a losing streak.

The Bulls play tonight against the LA Clippers and to win the Bulls will have to limit the second-chance points, out-rebound the Clippers, and limit their turnovers to win this game and end this losing streak. 

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The Chicago Bulls are slowly going downhill with the season not going as fans would’ve hoped it would. The Bulls currently have a poor record of 18-25 which has them pegged at 10th in the Eastern Conference. The Bull’s most recent loss came to the Portland Trailblazers on Sunday night, a team that on paper they should’ve beaten.

Having a record of 3-7 in their last ten games, the Bulls kept those losing ways going in their recent 113-102 loss to the Trailblazers on Sunday. In the game the Bulls saw one of the key pieces go down with what could be a concerning injury.

Chicago Bulls point guard possibly injured?

During the Bulls’ eleven-point loss, one of their key starters point guard Coby White appeared to have an ankle injury after a drive to the basket that left him shaken. Per K.C. Johnson Bulls insider for CHSN he tweeted that:

“Coby White came up a little gimpy late after scoring on a drive and isn’t currently in closing lineup,.”

Coby White came up a little gimpy late after scoring on a drive and isn't currently in closing lineup.

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 20, 2025

Johnson also added that head coach Billy Donovan added an update on why White missed the closing minutes of the game and an update on White’s status:

Donovan said he didn't like way White was moving for why he didn't close with him.

White, who has been battling a sore ankle for awhile, said he'll get treatment and see how he feels Monday. https://t.co/3vURnEp6wa

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 20, 2025

Having White miss some time will certainly not help the Bulls get out of this skid they’re on anytime soon. For the season White has played in 40 games and is averaging 18.2 points (47th), 3.4 rebounds (150+), 4.7 assists (45th), and is shooting 43.7% from the field and 36.4% from three.

In his sixth year in the league, White has been a solid player for the Bulls having career averages of 14.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists. White has been pretty durable so far in his career with not missing under 60 games in six seasons since coming into the NBA.

How would Whites injury affect the Bulls?

Depending on the level of soreness of the ankle and whether it’s a sprain or not will determine how much time White could miss.

The Bulls need White in their lineup and have his production if they’re to have a chance to turn this season around. Especially if they are to trade away key offensive threats in Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic at next month’s February 6th trade deadline.

An update on Whites’s progress should be released today so we should know soon what his status will be for the Bull’s next game which is today against the LA Clippers.

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The Chicago Bulls have been dealing with guard injuries for the past few seasons. Lonzo Ball’s knee injury from three seasons ago was seen as nearly impossible to return from, yet he overcame the odds and has seen time for the Bulls this season. Another younger guard has been dealing with an injury as of late, and Chicago is still waiting to hear any bit of positive rehab news from it.

The Chicago Bulls received a negative injury update on Ayo Dosunmu

Julia Poe from the Chicago Tribune wrote on Wednesday that the latest injury update from Dosunmu was not an ideal one for the Bulls.

“The Bulls might have to fare without Ayo Dosunmu for an even longer stretch than expected,” Poe reports. “The guard initially suffered a calf strain in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 23 and has been unable to progress to full-speed sprints after a 10-day rest period.”

The whole “unable to progress to full-speed sprints” can easily remind Chicago fans of Ball’s horrific recovery from his knee injury a few seasons ago. Poe went on to add that Dosunmu made an attempt to run, but it did not go well.

“Dosunmu ramped up to sprinting on a treadmill over the weekend but reported discomfort when attempting to reach full speed,” coach Billy Donovan said. “He will not attempt another ramp-up until next week. This means that the Bulls could play at least five more games without Dosunmu, who has been a crucial defensive anchor and secondary point guard option this season.”

Guard depth is something that the Bulls have prided themselves on over the past few seasons. Grabbing Dosunmu in the second round of the 2021 draft was seen by many as a steal and the time and he has only continued to produce when given the chance to do so.

Ayo Dosunmu could be a trade deadline piece for the Chicago Bulls if he can get healthy

With Chicago looking to potentially sell at the deadline, Poe writes that the young backcourt piece could be among the names floated across the league in trade rumors.

“In addition to his contributions on the court, Dosunmu is a key trade asset for the Bulls as they approach a crucial selling season ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. While he might not be the center of a trade offer, the Bulls could utilize Dosunmu’s considerable upside and favorable contract to sweeten a deal.”

Through 30 games this season, Dosunmu is averaging 12.6 points per game while shooting 49% from the field. The secondary floor general is also averaging 3.9 rebounds per contest and 4.8 assists per game. His season-high in points came when he dropped 27 on 9/13 shooting from the field on the road against San Antonio on Dec. 5.

Losing a player like Dosunmu would be hard for the Bulls to swallow due to multiple factors. The 24-year-old was born and raised in Chicago, having attended Morgan Park High School. He spent his college career at the University of Illinois, so plenty of Bulls fans got used to watching Dosunmu play in college. The fan favorite aspect of the young guard walking out the door in February would be tough, but his consistent contributions on the floor when healthy would make it difficult for the front office as well.

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Without Nikola Vucevic, Andre Drummond turned in a vintage performance vs Atlanta as the Bulls’ starting center

The Bulls are shallow at the center position. That issue became even more relevant when Nikola Vucevic was listed out with a groin injury before the Bulls’ game vs the Hawks on Tuesday. With only 3 active centers, Andre Drummond had to step into the starting role.

Drummond has played well in limited action this season, providing great rim protection and rebounding.

Drummond turned back the clock on Tuesday. He looked like the Andre Drummond of years past, dominating on the boards and scoring efficiently from the paint.

Drummond turned in a hall-of-fame-worthy performance

He was so good that he accomplished a feat that has not been seen since 1986. The last person to record a 20-point-20-rebound game on 80% shooting was hall-of-famer Charles Barkley. This marks the 6th time in NBA history that this feat has been achieved.

This was Drummonds first 20-20 game since January 31, 2021 when he was still in Cleveland. Tuesday marked Drummond’s 45th 20-20 game. That places him at 15th all time in 20-20 games, tying Bob Lanier.

Andre Drummond speaks out on his position with the Bulls

In a post-game interview, Drummond explained what he thinks his place is with the team. He said he approaches the game with the mentality that he is a starting-caliber player.

Andre Drummond: “My mentality is I’m not a backup.”

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) December 27, 2023

Drummond was then asked how he felt about being a backup with his mentality in mind. He had a good response for that.

Asked if it’s hard to be a backup, Drummond said: “It’s not hard to be a good teammate.” https://t.co/7wldh74Vln

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) December 27, 2023

Drummond believes he is a starter but doesn’t take offense to being a backup to Nikola Vucevic.

Can Andre Drummond sustain this level of play?

Tuesday was the first time that Drummond played for more than 20 minutes this season. He has appeared in 32 games in 2023 and has collected 5 or more rebounds in 25 of those games. Andre Drummond is one of the best rebounders in NBA history, and he showed that he still is.

Drummond is 30-years-old and clearly has the energy to still perform at a high level in the NBA. Another positive to Drummond’s game is he plays completely differently than Nikola Vucevic.

Drummond is the typical center that has been historically dominant throughout the life of the NBA. Vucevic is a stretch big who is a threat from the 3-point line, a more modern build. Vucevic is more versatile offensively than Drummond and is a strong rebounder as well. Drummond is a more efficient scorer because he only takes high percentage shots. That does however leave him open to getting shutdown more easily.

A physical paint presence like Rudy Gobert, Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic could eliminate Drummond’s offensive threat. That is harder to do with Vucevic, his ability to stretch the floor is the primary reason. All that being said, the two centers play completely different games, they both have their merits.

A good approach could be to rotate them when necessary. Run a two center system instead of just designating one or the other the primary starter. Drummond may have a better matchup vs certain teams than Vucevic does, giving Drummond some more minutes might be effective in that situation.

Andre Drummond turned in a performance that should not be overlooked. He has been effective in his limited minutes this year and made a convincing pitch to get more playing time. He is also confident in his ability to still compete at a high level in the NBA.

It looks like Vucevic will be out for at least a full week. This is Drummond’s chance to prove he deserves an expanded role with the Bulls. If he can string together some solid performances before Vucevic returns, expect to see a bit more Drummond this season.

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New reports are suggesting that the Bulls ownership does not think Billy Donovan is part of the problem

This season has been off to about as bad of a start as the Bulls could have expected. The locker room isn’t healthy with players like Zach LaVine mentally checked out. The core three of Vucevic, DeRozan, and LaVine aren’t working and the Bulls are struggling to maintain leads.

The Bulls had an all-time great loss last night. Chicago was up 21 points after the first quarter. Then went on to get ran off the court as the Nets went on a 25-7 run. The final score was 109-118, Brooklyn Nets win.

According to Bulls insider K. C. Johnson the Bulls front office is committed to Billy Donovan moving forward. Johnson provided the information below to explain the claim.

Billy Donovan’s job is ‘safe,’ per @KCJHoop

“[Billy Donovan] is liked and respected by both ownership and management and also has multiple years left on his extension. While it has happened in recent situations like Fred Hoiberg and Jim Boylen, the Reinsdorfs typically don’t… pic.twitter.com/cmD2v98iL1

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 27, 2023

That quote is an excerpt from Johnson’s article on the Bulls poor start to the season. The Bulls have a win-loss record of 5-13, with a four game losing streak.

And while Billy Donovan may stick around, Johnson says to fully expect extended coaching staff changes.

Trades will be coming soon

Unless the Bulls can go on a win streak between now and December 15th, the Bulls will be looking to make some trades in the next few weeks.

Zach LaVine is the primary player to be moved. As he has been at odds with the front office since last season. And now the front office isn’t happy with LaVine after he pushed a Bulls PR person. DeMar DeRozan could be on the trade block as well. The two parties still have not agreed upon a contract extension. Nikola Vucevic is another asset the Bulls could use in a trade. He is a solid veteran big that many teams may value.

Billy Donovan does have some good experience under his belt. He has gotten close to the NBA finals once, losing in the Western Conference Finals.

After being up 3-1 on the Warriors, Donovan’s Thunder blew the series lead and lost in game seven. Kevin Durant left that offseason and OKC never made it past the first round again. Which brings to question Donovan’s coaching ability. Is he a solid head coach, or was he the benefactor of prime Kevin Durant for one season?

Billy Donovan and the Reinsdorf family are on good terms. Donovan will be retained and it is looking more and more likely a total blowup is on the way. If the blowup happens we will see within a season or so if Donovan really can be the answer for this franchise going forward.

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It took one game before frustrations boiled over for the Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls made the decision to ‘run it back’ with this core of players, re-signing Nikola Vucevic to pair with Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, rather than blow it all up. And after one game of the 2023-24 NBA season, it appears as if there is already some frustrations.

Chicago fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 124-104 on Wednesday night at the United Center, being outscored 63-49 in the second half. The Bulls couldn’t hold a first half lead and watched a young Thunder team take the lead and never look back.

And following the game, Bulls players expressed their frustrations with the loss.

Per multiple reports, Bulls players held a meeting in the locker room following the loss to the Thunder at home. Ouch. That’s not a good sign.

Bulls already had a team meeting after Game 1. Billy Donovan said he walked in and asked if they needed more time to talk. He was told yeah, and walked out.

This is going well so far.

— Joe Cowley (@JCowleyHoops) October 26, 2023

Chicago Bulls facing adversity already?!?!

It’s only been one game and already the Chicago Bulls are holding a players-only meeting, letting Billy Donovan know they needed time to finish up. That’s really not a good sign.

It’s VERY rare that something like this happens after one game but this is a core that has played together for multiple years. And it’s a core that really didn’t play well.

DeRozan led the way with 20 points but LaVine had just 16 on 4-of-16 shooting. Vucevic had 11 points and 9 rebounds with Patrick Williams putting together another tough performance with just 8 points and 3 rebounds.

Perhaps the meeting was connected to the coaching of Billy Donovan. Or just frustrations for certain players like Vucevic who had a heated exchange with Donovan on the bench during the game. Vucevic did say the talks were ‘constructive’ so there’s that…

This team should be better and while it’s still early, the decision to ‘run it back’ and try to see what they got out of this team is uh, not working.

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Javonte Green of the Chicago Bulls is likely to miss a second straight game due to knee contusion.

Chicago Bulls forward Javonte Green is listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s home game against the Washington Wizards, Billy Donovan told reporters after team practice on Tuesday.

Green, who missed his first game of the season Sunday in Sacramento, was listed on the injury report as having right knee soreness. Donovan termed the injury a mild bone bruise, which was confirmed with an MRI.

“Knee contusion. Got a little bit of a bone bruise there. Got an MRI, that’s all it is,” Donovan said. “So obviously (we’re) happy about that. He’s progressively getting better.”

Javonte Green, still dealing with a right knee contusion, is likely to be listed doubtful vs. Wizards tomorrow, per Billy Donovan.

Donovan said Green got an MRI that revealed a bone bruise, but “that’s all it is.”

— Rob Schaefer (@rob_schaef) December 6, 2022

Green had come off the bench in 21 of his 22 appearances this season before sliding into the starting lineup for Patrick Williams ahead of Friday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors.

The 6 foot 4 defensive dynamo is averaging six points, 3.1 rebounds and one steal while shooting 37 percent from 3-point range in 16.4 minutes per game.

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Billy Donovan benched a star in crunch time

Friday night’s Chicago Bulls game should have been a win for Billy Donovan and the crew. The Bulls entered the game losers of three straight. The team should have bounced back against a bad Orlando Magic team that had won just four games before playing the Bulls. The Bulls wasted the opportunity.

DeMar DeRozan had a great night scoring. The five-time All-Star went 16-30 from the field as he scored 41 points in the loss. He covered Zach LaVine, another Bulls All-Star player who couldn’t find the basket against the Magic. LaVine finished 1-14 with just four points.

It wasn’t a great night by LaVine. And Donovan decided to pull him in crunch time against the Magic. After the game, LaVine gave a surprising answer about how he felt about the benching. According to Cody Westerlund at 670 The Score, LaVine said afterwords he disagreed with the Donovan benching him at the end of the game:

“That’s Billy’s decision. He’s got to lay with it. Do I agree with it? No. I think I can go out there and still be me even if I missed some shots. That’s his decision, and he has to stand on it.”

Zach LaVine on being pulled by Billy Donovan in crunch time: "That's Billy's decision. He's got to lay with it. Do I agree with it? No. I think I can go out there and still be me even if I missed some shots. That's his decision, and he has to stand on it."

— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) November 19, 2022

Billy Donovan might regret that decision

The Bulls wound up losing to the Magic by one point. So in hindsight, the plan didn’t work out for the Bulls. It’s an expensive lesson to teach LaVine, as the Bulls lost a game to a team they needed to beat in the early season. There’s no excuse for losing to the Magic. They need to beat lesser competition as they’re struggling with good teams as Lonzo Ball continues to rehab.

Billy Donovan’s coaching seat is getting warmer by the game. There’s no reason why the Bulls’ record is this bad in November. The Bulls have most of their main roster from last season’s playoff team. LaVine, who signed a max contract this offseason, needs to play better than he did Friday night. However, Donovan needs to ride with his best players in crunch time. That decision looks even worse as it culminated in the Bulls’ tenth loss of the early season.

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Will Patrick Williams Live Up To The 4th Overall Pick?

The Chicago Bulls have done a wonderful job turning around the franchise from the abyss it was in just three short years ago. After the hiring of Arturas Karnisovas in April 2020, many fans were excited about his vision for the Bulls team.

And it all started with the 2020 draft, in which the Bulls drafted Patrick Williams as the fourth overall selection. Williams had all the potential to be a great player coming out of Florida State University. Standing at 6’7 with a wing span of 7 feet, many people compared him to Kawhi Leonard due to their similar builds.

At this point, that’s where the comparison ends. Williams has not been able to progress through his first couple of seasons in the NBA quite as Leonard has. Williams has actually been going in the opposite direction.

Since entering the league in 2020, all of his major statistical categories have gone down. His points per game in the Bull’s four games this season is a lowly 4.2. Less than half of what he averaged in his rookie season. The Bulls were expecting a big jump out of Williams this season. So far he has not lived up to the part, forcing Billy Donovan to use his bench early in often.

Patrick Williams doesn't have an assist yet this season… pic.twitter.com/AUHVlytHhI

— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) October 24, 2022

Although he has started all four games this season, Williams’ minutes have gone down heavily from last season, dropping from 24.7 to 20.8 minutes per game according to BasketballReference.com.

Donovan sampled Patrick Williams coming off the bench during the preseason. It seems that might have to be the direction the Bulls go, especially if Derrick Jones Jr. and Javonte Green can continue to give them solid minutes.

To be fair to Patrick Williams, he has only played in 91 total games in his three-year career due to a handful of injuries, which is an entirely different problem for another day. I pull that stat out to say he essentially just finished his rookie season, meaning he still can develop into that player that many Bulls fans, including myself expect him to be.

But it is getting to that point where he needs to make some real progress and bring good minutes to the floor if the Bulls want to be contenders in a highly competitive Eastern Conference.

The post Will Patrick Willams Sour Play Hold The Chicago Bulls Back This Season? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls have maintained the top seed in the eastern conference for much of this season but since the all-star break, the Bulls have begun to slow down quite a bit.

The Bulls still maintain a solid record of 39-25. That currently has them at the 4th spot in the east. The eastern conference has been very competitive this season compared to recent years. A short winning streak or losing streak can drastically change a team’s position in the current standings.

The Bulls’ current losing streak sits at four games. These four games have been against some of the top teams in the league, including the Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies, and Milwaukee Bucks. There have been a lot of question marks surrounding the Bulls lately. Especially about their ability to compete with these heavyweight contenders around the league.

#Bulls are now 2-14 against teams that currently have a .600 winning percentage or better.

(Ducks)

— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) March 5, 2022

With 18 games left in the regular season, is it time for Bulls fans to hit the panic button? Not quite.

By the time the playoffs come around, the Bulls’ roster should look very different. The Bulls did not make any moves at the trade deadline because of the reinforcements they have coming back from injury. Patrick Williams, Alex Caruso, and Lonzo ball are all expected back in the lineup by mid to late March. Although none of these players are bonafide superstars, their presence will drastically change how the Bulls perform.

The injury to Patrick Williams occurred at the very beginning of the season. He was able to play in the first five games before his wrist injury forced him to be sidelined for 4-6 months. In those 4 games, the Bulls were able to achieve 4-0 record. What the 20-year old will bring to the lineup has yet to be seen. This season was meant to be hugely important to his development. Now the inexperienced Williams will have to find a way to contribute to this deep roster as it heads into the highly competitive eastern conference playoffs.

Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso coming back should be a huge spark to this Bulls team. Their energy on the defensive end has an immeasurable impact on games. When healthy, these two guards can arguably be considered among the top defensive guards in the league.

Bulls Record When Caruso/Ball Playing:
18-7

Bulls Record When Caruso/Lonzo Aren't Playing:
21-18

Bulls Record When Patrick Williams/Lonzo Ball/Patrick Williams Playing:
Still Undefeated

— Chicago Bulls Talk (@BullsSource) March 6, 2022

It’s clear that the Bulls are a much better team when Ball and Caruso are on the floor. Their presence greatly changes the way the Bulls are able to perform as a team. With Ball averaging 1.8 steals per game and Caruso with 1.9, the Bulls have a much easier time setting the tone defensively and getting fastbreak points. This can make all the difference in tight games like the Bulls’ loss to Milwaukee on Friday night.

Before getting injured, Alex Caruso had emerged as what appears to be a defensive captain of sorts. Teammates have praised not only his defensive skills but his communication as well.

DeMar DeRozan on Alex Caruso's communication: "AC is like that one college professor who's always preaching a thesis or something."

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 20, 2022

Cool tidbit from Bulls open practice today, via @chicagobulls (https://t.co/y186SnAvpE).

Here's new guy Alex Caruso stepping up to improve the Bulls' communication on help rotations (keep calls short & simple). pic.twitter.com/8Po1cy1iXt

— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) October 15, 2021

Maybe I’m optimistic, but this losing streak along with the poor performances against the top teams isn’t enough for me to start looking towards next season. Yes, every team has injury setbacks but the Bulls are a completely different team when their defensive specialists are available.

CARUSO STEAL.
LONZO FULL-COURT LASER.
LAVINE 360.

SHOWTIME IN CHICAGO pic.twitter.com/C8ViDSoMXG

— NBA (@NBA) November 11, 2021

Hit the panic button if you want, but the Bulls still have a lot of fight left.

The post Is it Panic Button Time for the Chicago Bulls? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Bulls are in the second half of their season and battling for seeding in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. It’s no secret that the team has bounced back thanks to the coaching of Billy Donovan and key additions like DeMar DeRozan, Alex Caruso, and Lonzo Ball.

The group has become a tight-knit one thanks to Donovan as he appears to have found the formula for making this work. And the players’ appreciation of him is showing.

Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine recently went on air with WGN Radio’s Kevin Powell and in the interview, he expressed very high praise for his head coach, Donovan.

“Billy’s the best coach in the world for me. I’ve got along with him more than any other coach I’ve had in my career, and I’ve had a good amount of them,” LaVine laughed.

 Donovan is often described as a ‘player’s coach. It’s clear how much LaVine appreciates this about him. Donovan has a long resume full of success that dates back to his time coaching at the University of Florida. After winning two national championships and even having the university’s court named after him, Donovan made a career change towards coaching in the NBA. Donovan coached the Oklahoma City Thunder for five years before coming to the Bulls in 2020.

LaVine and Donovan are now in their third season together. This season has been their most successful to date. LaVine expands on his relationship with Coach Donovan. Bleacher Nation quoted him as saying the following.

“I talk and text with him all the time, and the main thing about him is he cares about you more as a person than a basketball player,” LaVine said. “He’ll come to you and ask you about your family, how’s your day going. He worries more about how you’re doing as a person and cares about that more than basketball. And that’s what I really appreciate because – to be honest – not everyone is like that in the world of sports. So it’s a breath of fresh air when you can have a friend as a coach. Obviously, he’s still going to go out there and coach and say what he has to say, but you have a guy that has your back at the end of the day.”

LaVine is due to be a free agent after this season. Although many signs are pointing towards him returning to the Bulls, it’s always unclear what offseason moves are in the cards. Building this relationship and success with Coach Donovan can prove to be a major part of what keeps Zach in Chicago.

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The Chicago Bulls have their new head coach.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Bulls are set to name Billy Donovan their next head coach replacing Jim Boylen who was fired last month.

ESPN story on the Chicago Bulls hiring Billy Donovan as the franchise's next head coach: https://t.co/v0I6Z7tUW0

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 22, 2020

Donovan joins the Bulls after spending five seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder posting a record of 243-157 while making the playoffs for all five years. Prior to that, Donovan spent 25 seasons as the head coach of the Florida Gators, winning two national championships, four Final Fours and won three SEC Coach of the Year awards.

Following the hiring, President of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas released a quote about the hiring of Billy Donovan: “The success that he has sustained over the course of his coaching career puts him on a different level. We feel his ability to help his players reach their potential, both individually and collectively, will mesh well with our roster.”

Donovan will take over a team that is still rebuilding but has some young, talented players in Coby White, Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, and Wendell Carter. He will be tasked with getting this team to the next step and become a playoff team here in the new season that could start in January.

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