The Chicago Bulls are holding onto their ninth position in the East.
They are in that position because they beat the Atlanta Hawksin a game. The Hawks have won six of their last seven games, including a win against the Bulls on April 1. They also have the same record as the Bulls after beating the Detroit Pistons on April 3.
On the other hand, the Bulls have lost five of their last seven games and only have two home games left. Both home games are against the New York Knicks.
Despite their recent struggles, there are no expected changes at the top.
“If the Bulls make the playoffs after the play-in tournament, they are likely to keep everything the same,” according to Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley's report on April 3. “If they don’t make the playoffs, things will get interesting.
“[Head Coach Billy] Donovan is completely safe, so the coaching staff is also secure.”
This is not a surprise. Donovan got a contract extension before the 2022-23 season, with The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry pointing to the head coach “restoring order” as a key reason.
“The Chicago Bulls extended head coach Billy Donovan's contract before the season started, according to league sources,” Mayberry reported in November 2022. “Donovan succeeded in the first step of his duties, which was to bring order back to the Bulls and make the organization respectable again. He has been recognized for doing so.
“The significant improvement in wins last season and making the playoffs clearly meant a lot to the management.”
The Bulls are on track for a worse finish than last season, when they didn’t get past the Play-In Tournament. Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas stated his expectations for improvement before this season.
Like Donovan, Karnisovas got a contract extension. His extension was also only revealed in a report by Mayberry in May 2023.
Both extensions came when there were doubts about Donovan and Karnisovas’ ability to lead a strong team.
Arturas Kanrisovas Was Given ‘Green Light’ to Improve Bulls
“Have we always played great? No, but they’ve always tried to respond and get better,” Donovan said, according to Cowley. “[The injuries are] a big blow financially. It's not an excuse. I think the front office will at least consider the entire year and what happened, and how to strengthen the team where there might be a need for more depth.”
The Bulls’ poor 5-14 start and struggles leading up to the trade deadline did not shake ownership’s confidence in Karnisovas. This could explain why Donovan’s job is still safe.
“The strange thing is: Normally in such situations, a coach might be in a precarious position or perhaps the management could be in trouble,”
NBC Sports Chicago's K.C. Johnson stated on November 24. “But … Karnišovas has been given the green light to try to fix the current mess.” hasn’t approved a trade
Karnisovas for an established player since August of the 2021-22 season. There may be a good explanation for that after getting different outcomes in recent transactions.
Billy Donovan, Bulls Burned in Arturas Karnisovas’ Past Trades
They sent
Lauri Markkanen Cleveland Cavaliers to the in a three-team deal with the Portland Trail Blazers . That trade brought backDerrick Jones Jr . – who departed in free agency this past offseason – and a lottery-protected first-round pick that will not be available this season.DeMar DeRozan
Acquiring has proven to be a good decision based on the organization’s standards. Both sides have shown interest in extending the contract. was also very successful until a knee injury caused him to miss the last two-plus seasons.
Lonzo Ball Daniel Theis
Javonte Green, Troy Brown Jr, and . contributed at least as much asDaniel Gafford Chandler Hutchison and , for whom they were traded. Green signed a 10-day contract on March 23 and may have played well enough to earn a roster spot for the postseason.The acquisition of
Nikola Vucevic is the one that stands out. The Bulls re-signed the two-time All-Star big man to a three-year, $60 million contract before free agency this past offseason. criticized the deal
Critics as myopic. It may seem less appealing in the trade market than originally thought after Vucevic’s decline as a shooter this season. His 28.6% percentage from long range is his lowest since the 2015-16 season.
Considering their difficulties in moving
– for various reasons – there could be a combination of factors leading Karnisovas to be hesitant about approving another major trade. Zach LaVine One team insider provided insight into the situation surrounding Head Coach Billy Donovan as the Chicago Bulls conclude another challenging season.