In the middle of everything Chicago Bulls CEO Michael Reinsdorf said in his most recent press conference, the topic of Billy Donovan was what drew the most attention.
“Billy [Donovan] is a Hall of Fame coach who not only has my respect, but the respect of the entire organization and locker room,” Reinsdorf said. “I want it to be very clear, we want Billy to continue to be the coach of the Chicago Bulls… If someone’s not interested in Billy as our coach, and Billy wants to be our coach, then they’re probably not the right candidate for us.”
But here’s the part that intrigued me the most: if ‘Billy wants to be our coach’.
That puts the power completely in Billy Donovan’s hands, even though he’s under contract after signing an extension at the start of the season.
So what if Billy Donovan doesn’t want to stay the Bulls’ head coach? What happens then?
David Banks-Imagn ImagesThe Bulls Love Billy Donovan
Regardless of whether Billy Donovan is the right man to lead a Chicago Bulls rebuild, one thing is clear, he’s loved within the organization.
The Hall of Fame coach, who never quite had a roster in Chicago strong enough to replicate his college success, hasn’t had any locker room issues in his six years here. In fact, things have gone pretty smoothly.
Just listen to what Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis have to say about him.
“I love him and hope he’s here for a long time,” said Giddey.
“I want him to stay. I’m riding with him forever. He’s a cornerstone for my career,” said Matas.
So the locker room clearly loves and respects him, that alone puts the Bulls in a better spot than most teams around the league. But what about Billy?
Donovan didn’t leave college basketball just to coast, he came to the NBA to win it all. He didn’t get it done with the OKC Thunder, and after six seasons in Chicago, he’s still chasing that first ring.At 60 years old, he’s now one of the oldest active coaches in the NBA. The only others in that 60+ group? Rick Carlisle, Doc Rivers, and Steve Kerr.
Notice something? All NBA champions as head coaches, and all nearing the end of their careers.
It’s hard to imagine Billy Donovan wanting to coach deep into his late 60s, still waiting to see if this Bulls rebuild ever bears fruit. And with the ball seemingly in his court, he has options. He could stay and ride out his contract, or take advantage of a potential front office shake-up and look elsewhere, maybe a team like the Orlando Magic, or a playoff squad that just needs one final push.
Or maybe, he doesn’t care about winning? No, that doesn’t even sound like him.
He’s already shown loyalty to Chicago, passing up opportunities to return to some of the top jobs in college basketball. But when he eventually sits down with Michael Reinsdorf and Jerry Reinsdorf, we might finally get a clear answer on what he values most.
© Troy Wayrynen-Imagn ImagesWho Should Replace Billy if He Leaves?
If Billy Donovan does leave, the Bulls will need someone to step in and lead the team. Here are some options Chicago should consider:
Tiago Splitter, Portland Trail Blazers
A former NBA champion as a player and the current interim head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, Tiago Splitter could be exactly the kind of developmental coach Chicago needs.
After spending four years on various coaching staffs in player development roles, Splitter was suddenly thrown into the head coaching position when Chauncey Billups was suspended due to an FBI investigation. In his first season, he finished with a winning record and led the Blazers to their most wins since 2020.
Under his leadership, you can clearly see his developmental background shining through. Deni Avdija became an All-Star, Donovan Clingan took a huge sophomore leap, and undrafted Caleb Love outplayed plenty of players taken ahead of him. Even Scoot Henderson is quietly putting together a bounce-back season.
Despite all of that, Splitter still hasn’t secured the full-time head coaching job, and there are reports that Portland is “actively exploring” the coaching market. That could leave him available, and for a team like the Bulls moving on from Billy Donovan, who should be prioritizing development, giving Splitter a shot would make a lot of sense.
The Trail Blazers are “actively exploring” the coaching market to weigh their options for next season, per @TheSteinLine "League sources say Dundon has been actively exploring the coaching market to get a better sense of Portland's potential options at season's end. Tiago… pic.twitter.com/gd7HogApRM
— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) April 6, 2026Taylor Jenkins, Free Agent
The most sought-after head coach on the market is Taylor Jenkins, who led the Ja Morant–Jaren Jackson Jr. era in Memphis.
In his six seasons as a head coach, he posted a winning record across nearly 500 games. The Grizzlies were a perennial playoff team under his watch, and even in their down years, they weren’t afraid to experiment and give opportunities to different players.
He’s been out of a job for about a year now, but with several teams searching for new head coaches, Jenkins is right back in the mix. The Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic, and Washington Wizards have all been linked to him. If the Bulls want to throw their hat in the ring, Billy Donovan might need to make his decision sooner rather than later.
Former Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins is expected to receive strong interest from multiple teams for future vacancies soon.The Bucks, Magic and Wizards have been linked recently as suitors for Jenkins. pic.twitter.com/sUEwU8O2j5
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) April 8, 2026Wes Unseld Jr., Chicago Bulls
Here’s the easiest option on the table: promoting Billy Donovan’s assistant coach Wes Unseld Jr. to head coach. It’s something that’s already been floated around, and it wouldn’t be all that surprising.
Unseld has been an assistant coach for nearly two decades and also served as the head coach of the Washington Wizards from 2021 to 2024. He didn’t have the most impressive record, though, to be fair, it was the Wizards, but a rebuild wouldn’t be anything new to him.
The Bulls could "simply promote" Wes Unseld Jr. if Billy Donovan departs this offseason, per @JCowleyHoops "Either way, there is a real likelihood that the Bulls are conducting a coaching search in less than two weeks or simply promoting Wes Unseld Jr. since the coaching staff… pic.twitter.com/i7itmrflMz
— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) April 5, 2026He already has a rapport with the team, and he even stepped in as head coach for a game this season when Billy Donovan was out following his father’s passing.
Michael Reinsdorf also spoke about building a pipeline, having one person ready to step in for the next, and that could very well start with Unseld. And with so many other positions potentially needing to be filled, maybe the easiest option is the best one on the table.
© Geoff Burke-Imagn ImagesAlso On the Watch List
Sam Cassell: A former All-Star, All-NBA selection, and three-time NBA champion as a player, Cassell has spent the last 15 years as an assistant coach. It feels like every time there’s a head coaching opening, his name comes up, and for good reason. Currently on the Boston Celtics staff, Cassell has consistently ranked highly in the annual GM survey for best assistant coach, landing in the top four in each of the past three seasons.
"I know what buttons to push to get the best out of players" Sam Cassell tells @Money23Green he isn't giving up on his journey to becoming a head coach ? pic.twitter.com/mlqGpEDWkB
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) August 15, 2024Micah Nori: Nori is another name that continues to gain traction. In fact, he’s ranked number one for best assistant coach in the NBA GM survey over the past two seasons. Now in his 17th year of coaching and currently with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Nori has built a strong reputation across the league. He’s also been linked to multiple coaching openings and has some head coaching experience, stepping in when Chris Finch has been unavailable.
The Lakers will interview Timberwolves lead assistant Micah Nori for their head coach vacancy, per @jovanbuha.Nori joins JJ Redick, Kenny Atkinson, David Adelman and James Borrego as known candidates. pic.twitter.com/5UTbeCnA1T
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) May 11, 2024Hence then, the article about what if billy donovan does not want to stay with the chicago bulls was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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