Bulls Rumors: Billy Donovan Signed 4-Year Contract Worth $24 Million-Plus

The terms of Billy Donovan's head coaching contract with the Chicago Bulls have been revealed.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the former Oklahoma City Thunder coach signed a four-year deal worth a little over $24 million when he was hired Tuesday. 

After moving on from the Oklahoma City Thunder after five seasons when the two sides couldn't reach an agreement on a contract extension this year, Donovan was hired by the Bulls, who parted ways with former coach Jim Boylen in May.

Donovan got his start in coaching at the NBA level during the 2015-16 season, when he led Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to the Western Conference Finals. He led the Thunder to the playoffs in each of his next four seasons. Prior to his start in the NBA, he led the University of Florida to back-to-back national titles in 2006 and '07, and his 19-year tenure included coaching future first-rounders in Al Horford and Bradley Beal.

In Oklahoma City, he led the Thunder to a 243-157 (.608) record. 

The 55-year-old, who was voted co-coach of the year by his peers in 2019-20 alongside Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer, inherits a Chicago squad centered around Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen and failed to qualify for the postseason for the fourth time in five seasons.

After previously expressing frustration about the firing of Boylen, LaVine's reaction to the hiring of Donovan was caught on a video game livestream.

"Oh damn, we got Billy Donovan as our coach," LaVine said. "Wow. That'll be good. Really good coach."