Could Billy Donovan Accept the Orlando Magic Head Coaching Job?

Billy Donovan stepped down as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls on Apr. 21, and a variety of factors were likely at fault.

The Hall of Famer recorded just three losing seasons in 26 years between Marshall University, the University of Florida and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Since Donovan took over the Bulls in 2020-21, Chicago has finished below .500 in five of its six seasons, only reaching the playoffs once.

Donovan isn't absolved of blame for the team's underwhelming performance, but the front office duo of Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley didn't exactly give him help, either. Chicago's roster was not talented enough to compete for a title, nor was it set up for the future with long-term assets. Donovan's frustration grew evident during his tenure, eventually culminating in the ousters of the Bulls execs and Donovan's resignation.

Basketball aside, Donovan has also had an incredibly challenging year, with the death of his father and mother-in-law in February. It was widely assumed that Donovan would take some time off of coaching to be with his family, but if the right job presents itself, could the former Bulls head coach find a new home for himself before the end of the summer?

Donovan passed on the opportunity to return to college and coach at North Carolina due to the timing of the NBA's schedule. There aren't many available NBA coaching jobs either, after the Milwaukee Bucks hired Taylor Jenkins at the end of April. New Orleans is entering another rebuild with limited draft capital, and Donovan likely would not want to endure a situation similar to Chicago. But the last open job — which opened on Monday morning — should be an intriguing one for the 60-year-old coach.

The Orlando Magic were one victory away from upsetting the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons and advancing to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Instead, the Pistons rallied from a 3-1 deficit and eliminated the No. 8 seed Magic in a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday, 116-94.

Head coach Jamahl Mosley was let go shortly after, and Orlando now begins its search for a new head coach. While Mosley was a great floor-raiser and helped bring the Magic to the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, the franchise is looking for someone who can get the most out of its talented roster and bring the team deep into the postseason. Donovan might fit that mold.

It's no secret that the Eastern Conference is easier to win in than its counterpart, and Orlando certainly has the talent to take advantage. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are incredibly skilled players — albeit with question marks — while Desmond Bane, Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black and Wendell Carter Jr. round out the lineup with grit and physicality. The Magic have already signaled their willingness to go all-in by trading four first-round picks for Bane last summer, so it wouldn't make sense for the front office to risk bringing in a new head coach that could take time to adjust.

Donovan has worked with a number of talented players before. He coached Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in his first years with Oklahoma City — including Westbrook's 2016-17 Most Valuable Player campaign — and later brought a sophomore Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chris Paul-led team to the postseason in 2019-20. In Chicago, Donovan coached All-Stars Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, as well as Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey, to career-best years.

In terms of the job, Orlando has it all. Donovan would get to coach a team that wants to win now, has an aggressive front office and is built on an All-Star foundation. He would also return to Florida, where he spent 19 years coaching the Gators.

The only downside? There may be some bad blood. Donovan accepted the Magic's head coaching job in 2007 after leading Florida to back-to-back National Championships, but changed his mind and left the position just five days later. Orlando is under the same ownership group as it was nearly 20 years ago, but is run by a different front office.