Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan described the 2025-26 campaign as “certainly unique. I don’t know what the right word to use would be.” His end-of-season remarks on Monday, April 13, centered on injuries, roster instability and internal development.
Donovan pointed to early optimism that quickly unraveled, noting how expectations shifted across the year. He said, “going into September where we had most of those guys coming back,” while also highlighting the pressure of uncertainty, adding, “just the whole free agency looming for so many guys.”
The Bulls’ head coach also detailed how injuries altered the team’s trajectory, saying, “we had seven guys out. I think we maybe dropped seven in a row. We got below 500.” He added that the roster never stabilized, explaining, “we just never got really healthy. So we’re playing so many different lineups. It was challenging.”
Beyond availability issues, Donovan identified core performance problems that shaped results. He said, “one of the things for us that we struggled with a good portion of the year that we have got to get better at going forward is the turnovers.” He also noted a late-season drop-off in the paint, adding, “the rebounding.”
Donovan emphasized that evaluation remains ongoing from a coaching standpoint. He stated, “I’ll go back and I’ll review and I’ll look at where I could have been better after the trade deadline.” He also said, “there’s always things I feel like at the end of the season I can always do better.”
A significant portion of his comments focused on Matas Buzelis and his development role during a turbulent season. Donovan said, “I think it was a season that gave him a lot of information to really make great growth this off season.” He also described the challenge placed on the young forward, stating, “he’s now got to become a leader and now he’s getting the best defenders and he’s having to guard really good players.”
Donovan expanded on the expectations placed on Buzelis, adding, “it was eye opening for him and I know he always takes those kind of moments and figures out ways to utilize them to get better.” He also referenced the player’s mindset, saying, “he thinks he’s always learning in all of this.”
On organizational context, Donovan acknowledged broader responsibility across the franchise. He said, “we all share in that,” referring to the team’s inability to meet winning expectations. He also reflected on roster decisions, stating, “I love DeMar DeRozan. Just love the guy, right? But he was just so elite in the mid-range area.”
Donovan closed by emphasizing competitiveness despite adversity, saying, “these guys are great guys… they tried their best,” while adding, “I think the group tried to as best they could come together.”
