Bulls Coach Billy Donovan Poised for Expanded Role

Reinsdorfs seek Donovan's input on rebuilding the franchise

Apr. 8, 2026 at 12:06am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a fragmented basketball court scene, with players and the ball broken down into sharp, angular shapes in a color palette of navy, red, and silver, conveying the strategic shifts happening within the Bulls organization.The Bulls' leadership shakeup opens the door for coach Billy Donovan to have a greater say in the team's rebuilding efforts.Chicago Today

After the recent firings of the Bulls' top basketball operations executives, coach Billy Donovan is set to have a larger voice in the team's future direction. Donovan spoke optimistically about collaborating with the Reinsdorf family to turn the team around, indicating he will be more involved in player personnel decisions and the overall strategic vision for the organization.

Why it matters

Donovan's expanded role signals a shift in the Bulls' leadership structure, moving away from the top-down approach under the previous regime. This could allow for more collective decision-making and leverage Donovan's experience as an NBA head coach to help guide the franchise's rebuilding efforts.

The details

In his first media availability since the front office shakeup, Donovan expressed appreciation for the Reinsdorfs' willingness to seek his input on the team's future. He emphasized the importance of a collaborative approach, saying 'the room is smarter than any individual' and that he doesn't have all the answers, but wants to work together to figure out how to get the Bulls back to winning at a high level. Reinsdorf echoed this sentiment, stating he would 'probably push Billy to be more involved' in player acquisition and other key decisions.

  • Donovan's meeting with the Reinsdorfs is scheduled for next week.

The players

Billy Donovan

The head coach of the Chicago Bulls, who has been with the team for the past four seasons.

Michael Reinsdorf

The president and COO of the Chicago Bulls, who oversees the team's basketball operations.

Arturas Karnisovas

The former vice president of basketball operations for the Chicago Bulls, who was recently fired.

Marc Eversley

The former general manager of the Chicago Bulls, who was also recently fired.

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What they’re saying

“'We'd be crazy not to want Billy's input in player acquisition from players around the league. He's an NBA coach, he coaches against these guys. Some of these guys he's already coached. Billy will be involved and will be encouraged ... I'll probably push Billy to be more involved.'”

— Michael Reinsdorf, President and COO, Chicago Bulls

“'I'm very appreciative that Michael would give me the opportunity and say, 'Hey, what do you think? Tell me what we need to do.' And I can give him some thoughts and ideas, and OK, how do we take these thoughts and ideas and how do we move forward?'”

— Billy Donovan, Head Coach, Chicago Bulls

What’s next

Donovan is scheduled to meet with the Reinsdorfs next week to further discuss his expanded role and the team's rebuilding plans.

The takeaway

By empowering Donovan to have a greater voice in the Bulls' decision-making process, the Reinsdorfs are signaling a shift towards a more collaborative leadership approach. This could help the team chart a clearer path forward as they look to return to contention in the NBA.