The frustration is starting to spill over in Chicago. After dropping their seventh straight game and falling to 9-14 on the season, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan delivered one of his most pointed messages of the year, and it wasn’t about X’s and O’s.
Speaking to reporters after the loss, Donovan said the Bulls’ issues extend beyond injuries, lineups, or scheme.
“I don’t care about the injuries, it’s part of the NBA,” Donovan said bluntly. “What are we doing? What can we control? The disconnect is, when they care enough about each other in that locker room, that’s when it’ll get done.”
Billy Donovan: “I don’t care (about the injuries), it’s part of the NBA. … what are we doing? What can we control? The disconnect is, when they care enough about each other in that locker room, that’s when it’ll get done.”
Said earlier: “I think the group gets along very well.… pic.twitter.com/rKTKc3Lsvb
— Joel Lorenzi (@JoelXLorenzi) December 8, 2025
The Bulls have dealt with absences to key starters throughout the season, but Donovan made it clear that effort, not availability, is the biggest issue.
He doubled down with a pointed message about the mentality he believes the roster is lacking.
“I think the group gets along very well. They all like each other,” Donovan continued. “But until they **love each other enough to block out, dive on the floor, do that not for themselves but for the guy next to them… this will continue.”
Chicago’s season has unraveled quickly after a promising start.
The offense continues to struggle with consistency, late-game decision-making has been problematic, and the defense, once a strength under Donovan, has slipped dramatically during the losing skid.
Donovan pointed to attention to detail and accountability as areas needing immediate improvement.
“It’s the details,” he said. “We are not good enough or gifted enough to not do that. That’s why we have to stay focused.”
The comments come at a pivotal time, as internal pressure mounts and outside speculation grows around potential roster shakeups ahead of the trade deadline.
Whether Donovan’s message sparks urgency or fuels frustration remains to be seen.
For now, the Bulls aren’t just searching for wins; they’re searching for identity, connection, and belief.
Their next chance to snap the streak comes later this week. Whether love, or at least collective urgency, finally shows up may determine how quickly this season spirals or stabilizes.
