Billy

Donovan

Bam Adebayo, Paul George, and now two assistant coaches in Chicago. Hopefully this won’t be a repeat of the December-January stretch where the majority of the league entered protocols. The assistants didn’t travel to Milwaukee, and this won’t have a direct impact on any players, but it’s worth keeping an eye on in case other Chicago players enter protocols.

The Bulls have had so many players in protocols, so it was only a matter of time before Donovan found himself in them too. Chris Fleming will serve as the interim coach in Donovan’s absence. Chicago’s COVID-19 troubles haven’t gone away just yet.

This is a concerning bit of news, to say the least. The Bulls are scheduled to host the Grizzlies Friday night, but with the cancellation of practice it’s fair to wonder if that game will be played. As of Thursday afternoon the game is still on, but stay tuned.

Shams Charania first reported this addition to the schedule, which comes in the wake of both teams having games postponed this week.

Roy Rogers, Dean Cooper and Nate Loenser are the three confirmed names that will not be returning. According to Johnson, ownership has given Donovan the green light to make changes, “no matter the cost.” Player development is a big focus for the new regime, so look for Donovan to hire several new assistants with that in mind.

“It’s going to be a player-first program in which we’re going to do right by the players and put them in a position to continue to grow and be successful,” Donovan said Thursday. “Strategizing style of play, how we play, how we can utilize everybody.” This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as Donovan has long been lauded for his ability to fit his system to the talent available to him. That’s a departure from the Jim Boylen era, which should be good news for Zach LaVine and young talents such as Coby White, Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr. The Bulls are set to begin their minicamp, which will give Donovan an even better idea of how to put his players in positions where they can be at their best.

Donovan did an excellent job developing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this past season, so it’ll be fun to see what he can do with the young guys in Chicago. Wendell Carter Jr. and Coby White seemed held back by Jim Boylen, but they should be allowed to flourish playing for a guy like Donovan, as should Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen. The point guard battle between Tomas Satoransky and White is one we’ll be watching closely at camp, and it’ll be interesting to see how Donovan utilizes Otto Porter Jr.

Donovan will also interview for the Philly job and is one of the hottest names on the market right now after a successful season with the Thunder. Donovan was actually offered a two-year extension by the Thunder but didn’t want to be stuck in a rebuild. As for the Pacers, they have about a dozen candidates for the job but will trim that number in half before conducting in-person interviews.

Donovan turned down the offer, and in the aftermath of the mutual decision to part ways it was reported that there was a lack of clarity on the Thunder’s approach to the future. Oklahoma City is expected to transition to a rebuild of sorts, a far different approach from the one that awaited Donovan when he took the job five years ago and Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were on the roster.

Donovan’s contract expired once Oklahoma City’s season came to an end, and according to reports the two sides made the decision to not pursue a new deal. According to Wojnarowski, Oklahoma City’s eventual transition to a rebuilding period made it difficult for the partnership to continue. Donovan, whose team surprised many by not only making the playoffs but by also pushing the Rockets to seven games, won’t lack for opportunities at both the NBA and collegiate levels.