Bulls Working on Contract Extension for Head Coach Billy Donovan Amid Knicks Interest

Karl Rasmussen | Jun 15, 2025

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan / Nell Redmond-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bulls were recently among a handful of NBA teams to deny a request from the New York Knicks to interview their head coach.

The Knicks parted ways with Tom Thibodeau after the 2024-25 season and have since begun the process of searching for a new coach. Billy Donovan was one of the coaches the team had expressed interest in, though it certainly seems as if the Bulls are determined to keep him in town.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Chicago is in the process of finalizing a contract extension for Donovan. The 60-year-old has just one year remaining on his current contract, and with New York snooping around, the Bulls are ensuring they're not in line to join the league's head coaching carousel this offseason.

Donovan has been in Chicago since 2020 and has coached 400 games with the organization. He'd spent the previous five seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and coached the Florida Gators before that.

Donovan has a regular-season record of 195-205 with the Bulls and has led the team to one postseason appearances in his five years at the helm. Donovan's Bulls have managed a winning record just once and the team has finished 39-43 in each of the last two seasons.

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