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Colin Cowherd floats intriguing landing spot for Billy Donovan
Billy Donovan. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Colin Cowherd floats intriguing NBA playoff team for Billy Donovan's next job 

Billy Donovan is no longer the head coach of the Chicago Bulls. After six seasons, he has decided to step down.

That doesn't mean that Donovan is stepping away from coaching, though. In fact, in the very same report on Donovan stepping down from the Bulls, Shams Charania of ESPN said that the 60-year-old is still planning on coaching.

Where he ends up is anybody's guess, but he has options. Donovan has spent the past 11 seasons coaching in the NBA, but he was a star coach in the college ranks before making that jump.

In fact, Donovan won two national championships with the Florida Gators, so he was one heck of a college coach.

Donovan could go back to the college ranks, and he's undoubtedly going to get courted to do so. With that said, talking head Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports doesn't think Donovan is going to leave the Association. If he does go back to college, Cowherd thinks Kentucky could be an option, but that's a different story

More realistically, Cowherd sees Donovan sticking in the NBA. He also has a team in mind that he thinks could be a great fit: the Orlando Magic.

"I think he’s going to stay in the NBA, and I think people are out of their mind if they don’t consider hiring Billy Donovan," Cowherd said (h/t On3). "I would hire Billy Donovan tomorrow, and I’m not saying Orlando’s going to fire their coach, but there’s about 19 different rumors on the Internet that somebody inside the building, one of the star players, we can figure that out, doesn’t love the coach."

Could Orlando Magic make a change and go get Billy Donovan?

Orlando is currently the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and up 1-0 on the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. Jamahl Mosley has been Orlando's head coach since 2021, but he's 5-8 overall in the playoffs, including the win over Detroit.

Perhaps the Magic could decide to go in another direction if he can't make it out of the first round again. Donovan, already a legend in Florida, could come in with championship experience and perhaps help Orlando over the hump.

It's a fit that makes sense, so Cowherd is on to something. With that said, it's worth remembering that a lot would have to happen for us to get to that point.

Donovan stepping away from Chicago was the first domino to fall, though. 

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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