Billy Donovan’s Potential Chicago Exit: Separating Smoke From Facts

The number one question for Chicago Bulls fans is how does Arturas Karnisovas still have a job. Between the draft picks consistently underperforming, the stronghold the team has held in the land of mediocrity, and the lack of acquired talent over his tenure, the tone has rapidly turned to his extended stay being proof that ownership does not prioritize winning. The next most pressing question amongst the fanbase is how Billy Donovan has managed to survive as long as he has, having coached the third most games in Bulls history despite being ninth all-time in playoff wins and 10th all-time in total winning percentage. This afternoon, one of those questions was offered a crucial update. According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, “Donovan could step away from the mess and take a season to re-evaluate what he wants from the profession.” Time to dive into the credibility and evidence behind this bold claim from the infamous Chicago sports writer.

Source (And Lack Thereof) Is The Most Important Detail

While Cowley delivered this potentially franchise-altering news this afternoon, there is a lot to unpack surrounding the possibility of Donovan stepping away. The first thing to consider is that this is the first news relating to Chicago’s head coach ending his run with the organization, and no other sources have confirmed or denied these allegations. Next, an evaluation of Cowley’s reporting history strongly indicates a pattern of occasionally taking low-buzz news, statements, or observations and stretching them into a strongly worded narrative.

For example, in January of 2024, he reported that there was a “fracture” in the locker room, that the disconnect between the players was growing, and that AK’s group was leaning toward major changes at the trade deadline. In reality, the entire clubhouse responded with the same message: the rough patch of games they were experiencing brought frustration and tension, but no relationships or team chemistry had declined. A few weeks later, the Bulls made zero trades at the deadline, stood pat with the current bunch, and Cowley’s report proved mostly smoke. He’s widely considered one of the most controversial reporters who covers the Bulls.

Imagine still believing a Joe Cowley scoop in the year 2024 😭

— Justin Talks Hoops (@J_Talks_Hoops) December 16, 2024

Regardless, Cowley remains a consistent source of information about the team. Take this report with a grain of salt, given the author’s history of potentially creating narratives from minimal evidence, but without any other sources to accompany his most recent news, skepticism is high in Chicago.

All The Context Checks Out

Whether Cowley’s report should be taken as bulletproof evidence is open to discussion, but one thing that is clear is the clues surrounding Donovan’s potential separation from the organization. When combining the lack of success across his entire stint with the franchise, the projected future of the team remaining in the bottom third of the standings over the next two to four years at a minimum, his outspoken desire to compete for NBA Championships and not participate in a rebuild, and as Cowley mentions, he lost his father and mother-in-law during this season, all the signs point to these final 11 games potentially being his last in the captain’s chair for the Chicago Bulls.

There is growing momentum that Billy Donovan could step away from the Bulls after this season, per @JCowleyHoops

“Donovan could step away from the mess and take a season to re-evaluate what he wants from the profession” pic.twitter.com/8WosPzL557

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) March 24, 2026

Will this be the last stretch of games for Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls’ marriage? If so, where do they turn for answers, and does Donovan return to the college scene, to a program freshly equipped with NIL money and actively seeking a titan of the all-time college coaching ranks, such as the former two-time NCAA Tournament champion?