Calipari 5-Year Deal with Arkansas. Billy Donovan a top candidate for Kentucky

[NecessaryEvil]

Zach will stay if that's the case.

And Lonzo will be back

[weneeda2guard]

Well I see it differently then others. I place a ton of blame on the coach. Roster construction is a poor excuse imo because this team has had more talent then a lot of teams who win more and good coaches find a way to make it work. We don't get blown out much, we are one of the top teams as far as teams that go down to the wire vs most teams. We have great wins vs very good teams even on the road. So what can we point at? So many games were we can go to coaching decisions that cost us the game. If it's not him benching guys who have it going because he "trust caruso" who has nothing going. Or bringing vuc back in a game who getting killed by another opposing teams big, when Drummond is working on a 20-20 and getting to the glass wonderfully. Or needing to draw a last second play up and it always being a derozan iso play when another player has it going. All of that is coaching. Not roster construction. Not to say another coach gets this team to a title. But getting a influx of other players with a coach who does dumb things like bench players who have it going for the "guys he trust" won't help a superteam.

[Axl Rose]

I thought Zach and Billy had a poor working relationship. The implications may have a domino effect.

Zach has a poor working relationship with anyone who coaches him.

I don't think he wanted Billy from the start. I remember his reaction, while saying Billy was good, he sounded very underwhelmed.

[step]

Please let this happen. I like BD more than most, but his exit followed by DeMar’s might actually put AK in hot water.

Doubtful. It would just be another excuse... first attempt failed because we lost Lonzo... and now just as he is about to return our coach leaves. Give me another 3+ years to reset.

BD makes a lot of sense and maybe he will take the job. As others have said, he's not the problem here- the roster is.

Good coach horrible fit for this roster.

There is no such thing as a good fit for this roster. Considering how BD was able to keep it afloat with duct tape and staples, he might even be the best fit alive.

I wonder how much responsibility he has for said duct tape and staples, given how close of a working relationship he appears to have with AK?

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

Doubtful. It would just be another excuse... first attempt failed because we lost Lonzo... and now just as he is about to return our coach leaves. Give me another 3+ years to reset.

There is, of course, a scenario where AK is unfireable and nothing matters, but losing your best player and coach after another play-in flameout reflects badly on the FO.

[HomoSapien]

I wonder if Billy leaving would make it more likely that we would rebuild.

[boozapalooza]

Donovan could be a dark horse candidate for UK given history and current situation.

Now being reported as the top candidate. I think timing will be the biggest obstacle. Given the transfer portal activity, UK needs to find their coach ASAP. Earliest the Bulls season could end with a play in loss is 4/17. I think UK could wait that out. But if Bulls actually make it into the playoffs? UK can’t afford to wait a month for Billy. I’d say at worst they can wait 2 weeks before current players transfer and best players in the portal go elsewhere.

Or is this all moot and Billy will give up on his team and take the UK job before the season ends?

No doubt he wants that job. Why stay in Chicago to continue being average and waste the end of his coaching career? He can rebuild his legacy as one of the greatest college coaches of his generation at UK.

[kulaz3000]

I wonder if Billy leaving would make it more likely that we would rebuild.

I just don't see this front office ever going that route. They have stubbornly stuck to continuity for years now, with a flawed roster no less.

The only way out of this mess is the front office changing, or them being given a life line by getting extremely lucky in the draft lottery one of these seasons.

[SfBull]

Billy's not going anywhere, he's AKs guy.

Billy isn´t going anywhere ,The Bulls aren´t going anywhere either.
Just continuity.

[SfBull]

Whatever. No new coach is going to do anything better with this nonsensical roster. Nothing matters except the only thing that matters, and the only thing that matters ain’t gonna happen.

The only thing really mattering being AK´s firing.

[SfBull]

BD makes a lot of sense and maybe he will take the job. As others have said, he's not the problem here- the roster is.

The real problem is on who assembled the roster and believes playing that same guys for many seasons will get him more than a 1st playoffs round spot.

[SfBull]

I wonder if Billy leaving would make it more likely that we would rebuild.

I just don't see this front office ever going that route. They have stubbornly stuck to continuity for years now, with a flawed roster no less.

The only way out of this mess is the front office changing, or them being given a life line by getting extremely lucky in the draft lottery one of these seasons.

That´s it

[Chi town]

Retooling around Zach because his relationship with BD was “the problem” would be beyond pathetic.

Retooling around Zach is the only option we have besides the dumpster fire we are and will be of “continuity.”

It’s definitely not the only option.

Of course it’s not.

It’s the only AK option.
Dude is on cruise control deeper into mediocrity.

[Red8911]

I wonder if Billy leaving would make it more likely that we would rebuild.

Doubt it.Billy isn’t preventing the Bulls from rebuilding. If he were to leave Bulls can and should look to upgrade.

Like others here have mentioned coach Bud would be a great option. If I’m Reinsdorf I’m throwing all the money at him to bring him in. He would make a huge difference here.

Bottom line again Billy leaving isn’t starting a rebuild, he’s easily replaceable for the same results.Only not resigning Demar could possibly start it, since this team is currently nothing without him.

[Jeffster81]

Continuity has proven to not work. Time for a change. Billy is not a bad coach, he is just not a good NBA coach. Going back to college would do wonders for him.

[ShadyMoney]

I doubt Billy leaves

[Michael Jackson]

Donovan could be a dark horse candidate for UK given history and current situation.

Now being reported as the top candidate. I think timing will be the biggest obstacle. Given the transfer portal activity, UK needs to find their coach ASAP. Earliest the Bulls season could end with a play in loss is 4/17. I think UK could wait that out. But if Bulls actually make it into the playoffs? UK can’t afford to wait a month for Billy. I’d say at worst they can wait 2 weeks before current players transfer and best players in the portal go elsewhere.

Or is this all moot and Billy will give up on his team and take the UK job before the season ends?

No doubt he wants that job. Why stay in Chicago to continue being average and waste the end of his coaching career? He can rebuild his legacy as one of the greatest college coaches of his generation at UK.

Agreed I think that is an issue. I really think BD woukd take that job and really who wouldn’t. Hoiberg was a fool for jumping to the pros he would still be at Iowa State. Pitino regretted it etc…. Kentucky is a prime job of course. Duke, NC, Kansas, Kentucky, UConn those are king makers.

[samwana]

Well I see it differently then others. I place a ton of blame on the coach. Roster construction is a poor excuse imo because this team has had more talent then a lot of teams who win more and good coaches find a way to make it work. We don't get blown out much, we are one of the top teams as far as teams that go down to the wire vs most teams. We have great wins vs very good teams even on the road. So what can we point at? So many games were we can go to coaching decisions that cost us the game. If it's not him benching guys who have it going because he "trust caruso" who has nothing going. Or bringing vuc back in a game who getting killed by another opposing teams big, when Drummond is working on a 20-20 and getting to the glass wonderfully. Or needing to draw a last second play up and it always being a derozan iso play when another player has it going. All of that is coaching. Not roster construction. Not to say another coach gets this team to a title. But getting a influx of other players with a coach who does dumb things like bench players who have it going for the "guys he trust" won't help a superteam.

Thank you for expressing this opinion, I agree with you. We lost a ton of games because of bad decisions. Read through the games threads. And for some reason he still has some defending him. He is mediocre at best. He had bis great success at the college level and somehow he still lives in that legacy. He wasn't good with the Westbrook Harden Durant teams. Durant doesn't want to play for him anymore. He didn't do much with talent since college.
If he goes to KU, good riddance. Better today than tomorrow. Let Fleming take over the last few games and after the season take your time to find a good Coach, someone that uses size in the Front court. Someone that does'nt glorify small ball and uses SG at PF. Last chance for AK to get someone competent for the Team. Next one up is AK. Game in!

[othawhitemeat]

Continuity has proven to not work. Time for a change. Billy is not a bad coach, he is just not a good NBA coach. Going back to college would do wonders for him.

Good college coach that had some elite teams and some teams that underachieved. The 2 year run Florida had was awesome and legendary. However, most college coaches aren't cut for the NBA (there are a few exceptions). He is average here, but we are badly, mediocre constructed roster and a coach that is solid, but nothing great or below. Not many will be able to do much with this roster big-time.

[weneeda2guard]

Well I see it differently then others. I place a ton of blame on the coach. Roster construction is a poor excuse imo because this team has had more talent then a lot of teams who win more and good coaches find a way to make it work. We don't get blown out much, we are one of the top teams as far as teams that go down to the wire vs most teams. We have great wins vs very good teams even on the road. So what can we point at? So many games were we can go to coaching decisions that cost us the game. If it's not him benching guys who have it going because he "trust caruso" who has nothing going. Or bringing vuc back in a game who getting killed by another opposing teams big, when Drummond is working on a 20-20 and getting to the glass wonderfully. Or needing to draw a last second play up and it always being a derozan iso play when another player has it going. All of that is coaching. Not roster construction. Not to say another coach gets this team to a title. But getting a influx of other players with a coach who does dumb things like bench players who have it going for the "guys he trust" won't help a superteam.

Thank you for expressing this opinion, I agree with you. We lost a ton of games because of bad decisions. Read through the games threads. And for some reason he still has some defending him. He is mediocre at best. He had bis great success at the college level and somehow he still lives in that legacy. He wasn't good with the Westbrook Harden Durant teams. Durant doesn't want to play for him anymore. He didn't do much with talent since college.
If he goes to KU, good riddance. Better today than tomorrow. Let Fleming take over the last few games and after the season take your time to find a good Coach, someone that uses size in the Front court. Someone that does'nt glorify small ball and uses SG at PF. Last chance for AK to get someone competent for the Team. Next one up is AK. Game in!

Don't understand it. We won a play in game last year and nearly beat the heat up with 2 minutes left in the 4th and one of the major reasons we lost that game was coaches decisions, the rotations stunk benching coby right after he hit a huge 3, not playing Drummond properly when we needed rebounds and gave up key offensive rebounds etc. It was all pointed out after the loss yet we still talking roster construction lol no team is perfectly constructed. The objective here is to get the most out the roster you have which is what great coaches do. Every coach doesn't need to be handed a superteam to be successful.