Billy Donovan lands extension with Bulls after Knicks interest

The Knicks’ coaching search might’ve helped another candidate land an extension.

Billy Donovan, whom the Knicks requested to interview after firing Tom Thibodeau before the Bulls rejected it, signed a multi-year extension to remain in Chicago, ESPN reported Sunday.

The terms of the deal weren’t immediately known, and negotiations initially started during last season, the outlet added.

But it’ll allow Donovan to remain with the Bulls into the future after spending five seasons with the Thunder and then getting hired by Chicago for the 2020-21 campaign.

He has collected a 195-205 record with the Bulls, and he helped them make the postseason during his second campaign before falling short in each of the last three years.

In 2024-25, Chicago went 39-43 but lost in the play-tournament to the Heat.

The Knicks made their request to interview Donovan early in their coaching search following their shocking decision to fire Thibodeau, but similar to their requests for the Mavericks’ Jason Kidd, the Rockets’ Ime Udoka, the Timberwolves’ Chris Finch and the Hawks’ Quin Snyder, they weren’t allowed to move forward with him.

Udoka secured a multi-year extension that made him one of the NBA’s highest-paid coaches, while NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the Mavericks are expected to extend Kidd before the start of next season.

The Knicks ended up hiring Mike Brown, the former Kings, Cavaliers and Lakers coach who will now be tasked with ensuring that a coaching change doesn’t result in a step back from a run to the Eastern Conference finals.