Bulls' Donovan Faces Mavericks in Potential Final Game

Chicago coach Billy Donovan could be coaching his last game with the Bulls as speculation swirls about his future.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 4:55am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fractured, geometric painting in navy, green, and orange tones, depicting the overlapping movements and perspectives of a basketball game in an abstract, deconstructed style.A cubist interpretation of the final matchup between the Bulls and Mavericks, capturing the dynamic energy and uncertainty surrounding the future of Chicago's coaching staff.Chicago Today

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan will lead his team in their season-ending road matchup against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. This could potentially be Donovan's final game with the Bulls, as speculation continues to mount that he may shift to a front office role with the organization following the recent firing of the team's top basketball executives.

Why it matters

Donovan is a Hall of Fame coach who has led the Bulls for the past three seasons. His potential departure would mark a significant change for the franchise as they look to rebuild and return to the playoffs after missing out for the fourth straight year.

The details

Donovan's 482 regular-season games coached with the Bulls trail only legendary coaches Phil Jackson (738) and Dick Motta (656) in franchise history. Despite the team's struggles this season, forward Matas Buzelis expressed his hope that Donovan remains with the organization, calling him a 'cornerstone' for his career. The Bulls will be without several key players, including leading scorer Josh Giddey, for the season finale.

  • The Bulls' season-ending game against the Mavericks will be on Sunday, April 14, 2026.
  • Donovan was hired as Bulls head coach in September 2020.

The players

Billy Donovan

The 60-year-old Hall of Fame coach who has been the head coach of the Chicago Bulls for the past three seasons.

Matas Buzelis

A forward for the Chicago Bulls who expressed his hope that Donovan remains with the organization.

Josh Giddey

The Bulls' leading scorer this season, who will miss the final five games due to a left hamstring strain.

Cooper Flagg

A rookie forward for the Dallas Mavericks who has impressed this season, leading the team in scoring and ranking second among all rookies in assists per game.

Victor Webanyama

The Spurs superstar who had a 40-point performance against the Mavericks, going basket-for-basket with Flagg.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“After the GMs got fired, I told (Donovan), 'I hope you don't leave. I'm riding with you forever. You're a cornerstone for my career. I don't want you to go anywhere.'”

— Matas Buzelis, Bulls forward

“I thought Coop had an incredible game and set the tone early for us. You look at Victor -- and he's been in the league (three years), he was also Rookie of the Year -- understanding now he's one of the best players in the world. To see what Coop did ... he was finding guys, he was scoring the ball, he was competing at a very high level. That just shows the leadership of our rookie and it's good to see this late in the season.”

— Jason Kidd, Mavericks head coach

“Just being aggressive, getting to my spots. I've just got more and more confident as the year's gone on ... (I'm) learning a ton. Just being selective with taking the shots that I want to take, and living with the outcome of those shots and not letting the defense dictate what I do.”

— Cooper Flagg, Mavericks rookie forward

What’s next

The Bulls and Mavericks will face off in their final regular season game on Sunday, April 14, 2026. This could potentially be Billy Donovan's last game as head coach of the Bulls, as speculation continues about his future with the organization.

The takeaway

Donovan's potential departure would mark the end of an era for the Bulls, who have struggled to return to the playoffs during his tenure. His leadership and experience could be valuable as the team looks to rebuild, but his future remains uncertain as the franchise undergoes a shakeup in the front office.