Chicago Bulls block Eastern Conference rival from interviewing Billy Donovan

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Robin Adams | Last updated Jun 12, 2025 9:49 AM ET

The Chicago Bulls finished the 2024-25 NBA season 39-43 and missed the playoffs for the third year in a row. In fact, they have only made the postseason once in five seasons under head coach Billy Donovan, in 2021-22, which also happens to be the only winning season they have enjoyed during his tenure.

Despite yet another disappointment, though, Chicago is confident in Donovan and the direction he is taking the team. This is evident by the fact that when the New York Knicks called asking to interview him for their recently opened head coaching role, the Bulls denied them.

The Chicago Bulls blocked the New York Knicks from interviewing Bill Donovan

For the first time in 30 years, the Knicks made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, they fell to the Indiana Pacers, who recently took a 2-1 lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals.

In a surprising twist, New York then fired head coach Tom Thibodeau. As fans will recall, Thibodeau got his start as a head coach with Chicago back in 2010. The Bulls went 62-20 in his first season and 50-16 in his second.

Since leaving Chicago, Thibodeau has coached the Minnesota Timberwolves and Knicks.

With Thibs out the door, New York has been asking other NBA teams for permission to interview their own head coaches for the Knicks’ vacancy. This included the Bulls, but they denied New York permission to talk to Donovan:

The Knicks requested permission to speak to Billy Donovan but were denied, per @KCJHoop pic.twitter.com/Ilsd8deRvs

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 12, 2025

Obviously, the Bulls have a great deal in faith in Donovan and believe he will be able to turn the franchise around. If they had not, they would have allowed New York to talk to him.

The Chicago Bulls are on a long list of teams that have turned down the New York Knicks

NBA: Chicago Bulls at Sacramento Kings Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan looks on during the first quarter of the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

In addition to Donovan, the Knicks have requested to interview Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks), Ime Udoka (Houston Rockets), Chris Finch (Minnesota Timberwolves), and Quinn Schneider (Atlanta Hawks).

All of these teams have denied New York permission to interview their head coaches.

One has to wonder what the Knicks were thinking when they fired the first coach to take them to the Eastern Conference Finals this century with no plan other than trying to steal away another NBA team’s head coach.