(670 The Score) The Bulls shifted the direction of their franchise Sunday evening by agreeing to trade two-time All-Star guard Zach LaVine to the Kings in a three-team deal. It marked a significant step toward tanking, as the Bulls received little value in player return but did reattain their own 2025 first-round pick that the Spurs held the rights to, with pick protections involved.
Now the attention will turn to what's next for the Bulls. They'll surely continue to shop and trade veterans as the trade deadline looms Thursday afternoon. Beyond that, another question is what does head coach Billy Donovan's future in Chicago hold? Donovan came to Chicago in 2020 with the intention of winning and competing, but that won't be the Bulls' path across the next couple seasons.
“Billy Donovan ended up in Chicago because he didn’t have the appetite, or so it was reported, to be part of a rebuild in Oklahoma City, where he never had a losing season,” 670 The Score morning host David Haugh said Monday.
“It’s going to get worse before it gets better, and I do wonder what his appetite is for it now. He has been here five years, and in the NBA head coaching lifespan, that is an eternity. I don’t think he should be held responsible for what comes next.”
The Bulls have never directly stated the full specifics of Donovan's contract length, but the belief is he's under contract through the 2025-'26 season.
The spotlight will also be on the Bulls’ front office, which is led by executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley.
“The futures of everybody would seem to be in question when you have declared you’re going to get worse before you get better and your plan is so heavily reliant on hope and luck,” Haugh said. “I don’t know if Billy Donovan wants to be around for that.”
You can listen to the full segment in the audio player above.