The Chicago Bulls and Billy Donovan are heading towards a break up

Donovan has not been successful with the Chicago Bulls

In the last year, Adrian Griffin was fired mid-way through his first season. Frank Vogel and Monty Williams were fired after their first season after signing lucrative contracts. Darvin Ham made it to two straight playoffs, but was not retained for a third year. Based on how professional coaching works in today’s world, the expectation is that coaches immediately elevate a team's standing. With that expectation, it is fair to say Donovan should be on the hot seat in 2024-25.

The shortcomings of the Bulls cannot be fully placed on Donovan. The injuries have certainly contributed to the lack of success, but one playoff appearance in four years does not cut it for what what should be a premier franchise in the league.

An argument could be made that Donovan maximized the Bulls to get where they were. DeRozan and and Caruso had career years under his direction and the lack of momentum on a LaVine or Vucevic trade front does speak volumes to how the league views the players. Perhaps, he made the most of what was given.

If Donovan stuck around for the next version of the Bulls, it is hard to imagine the Bulls to improve on the 39-win total from last year. In a best case scenario, the Bulls young core would outperform expectations and stay in the play-in game race. The floor for this group would be a bottom five team in the Eastern Conference as they enter the in the tank race for Cooper Flagg. The latter being the more likely of the two scenarios. Either way, Donovan is on track to have another losing season in Chicago if he comes back.