It becomes numbers game for Bulls coach Billy Donovan and his decision

DALLAS – Emotions and relationships will always carry weight for Billy Donovan.

The Bulls coach has discussed that in length when he retraces a journey that started under mentor Rick Pitino as an assistant coach some 37 years ago, eventually leading him to Springfield, enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

So when he hears from his current Bulls players and they let him know how much he means to their career and how they’d like him to stay, yeah, it hits home with Donovan.

Matas Buzelis was one such voice, reaching out to Donovan in a phone call last week in the wake of the front office being fired and rumors of Donovan walking away growing stronger.

“I appreciate it and I love Matas, love all the guys,” Donovan said. “Going back to Matas, we’ve had a great relationship. I think it’s pretty well documented that I’ve pushed him pretty hard. He needs that and wants that, and I really appreciate the conversation. We had a good conversation and we talked, and I want to see him continue to grow and develop.”

As his coach or from a distance?

That is the main question facing the Bulls and Donovan, as he met with players and staff on Monday to wrap up the regular season, and was then going to have a sit-down with Michael and Jerry Reinsdorf at some point this week.

A lot of emotion for Donovan? Sure, but he’s made emotional decisions before. That hasn’t always worked out well. That was the case when he took the Orlando Magic head coaching job in 2007 because he felt it was the right climb to make, slept on it and knew it wasn’t. He then backed out and returned to the University of Florida.

His Bulls decision, however, is more of a numbers game.

Finishing No. 9 in the draft lottery seedings, the organization will now have a 4.5% chance to hit the top pick in the June draft and a 20.3% chance to hit in the top four. The Bulls have nine possible free agents, an NBA-best $63 million in cap space, and if Portland can get out of the play-in tournament and reach postseason play, the Bulls will have a second first-round pick for a loaded 2026 class.

However, Donovan also knows this is not a quick fix. Even if Buzelis continues taking a leap toward being an All-Star caliber player, Noa Essengue – who missed most of his rookie season after undergoing shoulder surgery – is the two-way talent the old front office thought he was, the Bulls do get two first-round selections this summer and they both hit, and they use the cap money to add a defensive-minded rim protector, at best it’s still a few more seasons before Donovan can start real winning.

That’s what his decision will hinge on: Does he see the Bulls picking the right direction and building something with staying power sooner than later?

“I think Michael (Reinsdorf) said he wants to build something that’s sustainable, and I agree with that,” Donovan said. “It has to be something that’s going to be long term, where you’re getting as many cracks at (biting) the apple in the playoffs and try to advance and move on. What’s the exact way to go about doing that? Some of this stuff could end up changing in May (as the NBA examines tanking) with people trying to go through the draft and go that way, go through it three or four years, try and get good young talent, grow together.

“You have to try and build something for sustained success, and I’m not the smartest guy in the room to say, ‘This is the way you go about doing it.’ This is what these conversations are.”

If the Reinsdorfs can sell Donovan that the focus is about the business of winning and not just the business, there’s a good chance he will be back for a seventh season. If it sounds like the plan is vague or the priorities don’t match, the front office the Reinsdorfs do eventually hire will have a coaching search on its hands.

The good news is this won’t be something that drags on for weeks.

Donovan made it very clear that he doesn’t want to go through that and doesn’t want to put the franchise through unnecessary drama.

He insisted that he doesn’t have his eyes on another job and that it’s not a decision in which he will be persuaded by friends or family.

The kind words from ownership and his players have been more than appreciated, but at the end of the day this falls on Donovan. It’s his decision to make and his alone.