PHOENIX — The Chicago Bulls signed coach Billy Donovan to a contract extension this summer ahead of the 2022-23 season, retaining him for at least four more years.
The Bulls confirmed the signing, which The Athletic initially reported Tuesday. Donovan’s original contract ran through the 2023-24 season, and the extension reportedly will increase that by “several more years.”
Donovan, 57, has gone 86-88 in his first two-plus seasons in Chicago, leading the Bulls to their first playoff berth in five years last season. His tenure has included a rebuild of the roster around forward DeMar DeRozan and guard Zach LaVine, who signed a $215 million maximum contract in the offseason.
His coaching tenure also has been plagued by major injuries to key players — most notably point guard Lonzo Ball, who has not played since January after incurring a knee injury that required two surgeries and befuddled team doctors. The Bulls remain hopeful Ball will be available this season, but he has not practiced in nearly 11 months.
In the meantime Donovan has had to adapt the lineup without its starting point guard while LaVine also struggles through a slow start after his own offseason knee surgery. The Bulls are 9-11 through the first quarter of Donovan’s third season and 11th in the Eastern Conference.
Vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas hired Donovan in 2020 after a five-year stretch with the Oklahoma City Thunder, whom he led to a 243-157 record from 2015-20. Donovan got the Thunder to the Western Conference finals in his first season, but they didn’t advance past the first round the next four seasons.
Before entering the NBA, Donovan won two national championships during an illustrious 19-year career at Florida.
