In the Chicago Bulls' 53-year history with the National Basketball Association, they have only recorded a winning season 23 times. Just one of those campaigns has been with Billy Donovan as the head coach.
While the NBA has seen its fair share of coaching shakeups, Donovan has remained on the sidelines at the United Center since the 2020-21 NBA season.
Chicago was the only team from the Central Division not to qualify for the postseason. Their blowout loss at home against the Miami Heat ended their season sooner than they liked. Furthermore, the Bulls have not made it out of the first round of the playoffs since the 2014-15 season.
Who Has Lost Their Jobs While Billy Donovan Has Kept His?
The Denver Nuggets fired Mike Malone, an NBA championship-caliber coach. He was shown the door less than a month after the Memphis Grizzlies also told Taylor Jenkins he no longer had a job with the team.
Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers finished the season with a record of 48-34. They struggled to get past the Orlando Magic in a seven-game series despite having home-court advantage.
In the next round, they were ousted in five games by the eventual NBA Champion, the Boston Celtics. Bickerstaff was replaced by Kenny Atkinson, the team not making it any further this year than the year before, despite having the Eastern Conference's best record.
Bickerstaff took over for the Detroit Pistons, who also relieved Monty Williams of his duties. Williams lasted just one season before being fired.
He took his previous team, the Phoenix Suns, to a Finals appearance in the 2020-2021 season. That's the same season that Donovan became the head coach of the Bulls.
Williams' replacement in Mike Budenholzer, was also let go this year. The underperforming super-team of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal missing the playoffs sealed his fate. Budenholzer coached the Milwaukee Bucks to a title against Williams' team, the Suns.
Who are the Best Head Coach Fits for the Bulls?
Chicago has been relegated to the Play-In Tournament for the past three seasons in a row. Neither year have they made it to the final eight seeds in the Eastern Conference. Yet, Donovan remains on the Bulls' payroll.
Should Chicago choose to move on from him, there are four qualified candidates who stand out the most for the Bulls' roster and their faithful fan base.
1. Taylor Jenkins
The Arlington, Texas native began coaching basketball with the Austin Toros in 2018. His last year as the assistant was when the team won the G League championship. He was promoted to the head coach position the next season.
Then, Jenkins became an assistant head coach with the Atlanta Hawks for five years before joining the Bucks' staff for the 2018-19 season. In five and a half seasons with the Grizzlies, he led them to the playoffs three straight seasons.
Games | Wins | Losses | Win Percentage % |
|---|---|---|---|
464 | 250 | 214 | .539 |
That's something that Chicago fans haven't seen since Tom Thibodeau was the head coach. In many ways, Jenkins would be considered an upgrade over Donovan.
Before being let go with less than ten games remaining in the season, the Grizzlies had a record of 44-29. During his tenure in Memphis, Jenkins never finished last in the division. That's exactly where Chicago finished this year.
2. Monty Williams
This name is intriguing as the former Suns' and Pistons' coach is still collecting checks from both franchises.
That's right! He is still getting paid by both teams despite not being employed by either one anymore.
Williams' coaching history dates back farther than Jenkins' resume. The current TMI Episcopal head coach started out as an assistant with the Portland Trailblazers for five years.
Games | Wins | Losses | Win Percentage % |
|---|---|---|---|
785 | 381 | 404 | .485 |
He then accepted the head coaching opening with the New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans) before the 2010-11 NBA season. While his win percentage as a head coach isn't impressive, other notables on his resume are.
The 2022 NBA Head Coach of the Year has finals experience. Something that Donovan doesn't have. The Pistons still owe Williams more than $50 million since his contract with them was terminated. The Suns are also in a similar situation.
Thus, money isn't necessarily a factor for Williams if he finds the right fit. He wouldn't have to coach any marquee players or divas with an attitude like he did in Phoenix. He might be the next mentor and voice to guide Coby White, Nikola Vucevic, and Josh Giddey (if re-signed) back to playoffs.
3. Mike Budenholzer
From 1996 to 2013, the Holbrook, Arizona, native served as an assistant for Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs. During that time, the team won five titles with Tim Duncan and a number of other stars.
In 2013, Budenholzer became the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks. After five years, he was hired by the Milwaukee Bucks.
Games | Wins | Losses | Win Percentage % |
|---|---|---|---|
883 | 520 | 363 | .589 |
It was there that he coached Giannis Antetokounmpo to his first and only title to date. The Bucks defeated the Suns in six games during the 2021 NBA Finals.
Budenholzer is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year. Last season was the first time in his 11-year coaching career that his team missed the playoffs. That type of consistency is something to be desired by the six-time NBA champions, the Chicago Bulls.
4.. Frank Vogel
Hear us out on this one. Just because Vogel sat out this season from being a head coach does not mean he is not still a viable candidate.
In 2020, he led LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers to an NBA title against the Miami Heat. Vogel is also a former Suns, Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers head coach.
Games | Wins | Losses | Win Percentage % |
|---|---|---|---|
908 | 480 | 422 | .532 |
Prior to becoming to being tasked with being in charge of a team, Vogel spent a decade as an assistant with teams such as the Celtics, Pacers and the Philadelphia 76ers.
He is also one of the few head coaches to have the honor of coaching more than one All-Star game. Vogel did so in 2020 as well as in 2014. Budenholzer also accomplished this feat in 2015 and 2019.
That's the last time the Bulls made the playoffs outright. If Donovan doesn't take them back there next season, any one of these three names (among others) may get the call to become the next head coach of the Chicago Bulls.
Nota-Bull: While Michael Malone, former head coach of the 2023 NBA Champion Denver Nuggets, is available, he may be too pricey for the Chicago Bulls. There is a strong chance he could be outbid by other teams looking for a win-now leader on the sidelines.