The Chicago Bulls are one of three teams still actively interviewing candidates to be their next head coach, along with the Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks. With Billy Donovan and the organization parting ways at the end of the 2025-26 season, the Bulls have clearly taken things in a new direction by moving on from lead executives Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley.
As a result, Chicago hired Bryson Graham to be the franchise's new executive vice president of basketball operations in May. Graham has already made aggressive moves to surround himself with trusted and knowledgeable front-office personnel, and he is determined to secure the future of the Bulls' head coach opening for years to come.
That is why prominent assistants around the NBA have been involved in this search, as well as recent Portland Trail Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter.
Hiring their next head coach before the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23 has always been Graham's main goal, and as reported on ClutchPoints recently, the Bulls were expected to move into the final stage of their hiring process during the second week of June.
We have officially reached this point, and the Bulls are progressing into the final wave of interviews before deciding on who their next head coach will be. Although Sean Sweeney, a leading candidate for the job, opted to join the Orlando Magic and replace Jamahl Mosley, the Bulls still have a couple of prominent names high on what is believed to be their final list, including Splitter.
Latest Bulls coaching search updates
Portland Trail Blazers Interim Head Coach Tiago Splitter looks on during the first half against the San Antonio Spurs during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Moda Center.
Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images
Whether or not Splitter would return to the Blazers has been a major question mark throughout the NBA since Portland was eliminated from the playoffs. Taking over for Chauncey Billups at the start of the 2025-26 season after he was arrested by the FBI as part of a massive federal investigation into illegal, Mafia-linked gambling operations, Splitter led the Trail Blazers to a 42-40 record.
Portland made the playoffs for the first time since 2020-21 as the 7-seed in the Western Conference under Splitter's leadership, which is why it seemed like a no-brainer decision for him to become the full-time head coach.
However, new Blazers owner Tom Dundon has made it his mission to cut internal costs, including at the head coaching position. Once the Trail Blazers were eliminated from the playoffs, Dundon and Blazers officials spoke with Splitter about the possibility of returning, but the starting point in these brief contract talks was well below average, league sources told ClutchPoints.
This is why Splitter's return to Portland remains a mystery, although he is still a lead candidate in their coaching search, and it's why he has become the focus of the Bulls' coaching search.
Chicago is attempting to lure Splitter away from the Blazers, which makes me believe he is a top option for them as a finalist. Over the last few weeks, the Bulls have been pushing the idea that they are a better long-term position for Splitter, especially since they would be committed to him long-term compared to the Blazers, sources said.
Along with Splitter being one of Chicago's top options, Minnesota Timberwolves lead assistant Micah Nori is also said to have left a strong impression on Graham and the new Bulls leadership group. Nori has interviewed for several openings over the last two years, and he is also involved with Splitter in Portland's head coaching search.
Splitter and Nori are both viewed as fresh voices in the coaching landscape who can play a direct role in Chicago's youth development.
Chris Quinn, another candidate who was said to be a top candidate early in the process for the Bulls, is expected to return to the Miami Heat and continue his tenure as Erik Spoelstra's lead assistant, sources said. The thing with Quinn is that I couldn't get a firm “yes” or “no” in terms of him advancing in the Bulls' search. All that was said about the Heat assistant is that he is “probably” going back to Miami.
Could the Bulls be keeping this close to their chest and Quinn is actually a finalist for the position? Time will tell, but it certainly feels like Splitter is being lured by Chicago's new leadership.
No matter the Bulls' ultimate choice, their new head coach is expected to receive a four-year contract. In Splitter's case, he wants long-term security and a front office that stands behind him, which is exactly what he would have in Chicago. The same cannot necessarily be said for the Blazers, who don't have a clear future in terms of leadership, and what other changes could happen with new ownership cutting costs.
The Stein Line has named Splitter, Nori, and Atlanta Hawks assistant Ryan Schmidt as those among the finalists in Chicago.
Schmidt has been an assistant with the Hawks since 2023 and has a relationship with Graham already, making him a dark-horse candidate for this position. Wes Unseld Jr, who was Donovan's lead assistant, is also believed to still be in the mix.
It is clear that all the names linked to the Bulls' head coaching vacancy all share something in common: they're all known for player development.
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This has been a key point of emphasis for Graham since being hired by the Bulls, and it's why this organization is expected to be aggressive with the 2026 NBA Draft just two weeks away.
Potential NBA Draft trade up?
Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) warms up before an Elite Eight game of the South Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Toyota Center.
Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The Bulls own the No. 4 pick in this year's draft, allowing them to land one of the four highly coveted prospects at the top of the draft board with long-term star potential. AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson are expected to be the first two picks, with Cameron Boozer very likely following them at No. 3 to Memphis.
That means Caleb Wilson should be on the board for Chicago, and there is nothing to suggest at this time that he won't be the selection. After all, Wilson fits the mold of athletic, lengthy players Graham made it clear he wants to add to his team during his introductory press conference.
Despite there being chatter that the Bulls could consider their options, especially after hosting several top-10-rated prospects for workouts, the strong sense around the NBA is that Graham will be taking whichever of the four top prospects falls in his lap. Maybe it will be Boozer, but the overwhelming belief is that Wilson will be the fourth pick.
But that isn't where the conversation centered around Chicago and the NBA Draft is. Instead, rival teams and personnel continue to talk about the Bulls exploring possible avenues to move up from the No. 15 pick, potentially adding another top-10 selection.
Graham has made a name for himself through the years for identifying talent during the draft process, and Chicago's recent pre-draft workouts signal that the team is evaluating all of its options.
If the Bulls were to trade up into the top 10, multiple personnel have stated that they believe such a move would be made for Illinois guard Keaton Wagler. Although a lot of uncertainty exists with how the top 10 of the draft will shape up, Wagler is being mentioned as high as fifth to the LA Clippers and as low as ninth to the Dallas Mavericks, signifying that he is essentially a lock to be a top-10 pick.
Wagler was recently involved in a big pre-draft workout the Bulls recently hosted, which also included Kingston Flemings, Nate Ament, and Morez Johnson Jr. Other top prospects who have visited Chicago include Mikel Brown Jr. and Darius Acuff Jr.
It seems obvious that if the Bulls were to potentially trade up, which likely wouldn't happen until draft night, they would do so with the intent of adding one of the highly talented guards inside the top 10. Whether or not Graham and Chicago could land Wagler would solely depend on what happens with the Clippers and Brooklyn Nets at fifth and sixth overall, respectively.
Trading up to the fifth pick immediately following the No. 4 selection would be a longshot since the Clippers very likely wouldn't have interest in moving down 10 spots unless they were to receive significant assets. While possible, it's unlikely that the Bulls would trade multiple future first-round picks to jump up to No. 5, and the Clippers wouldn't want any of their players under contract.
The Nets at No. 6 could be a possible trade-up spot for the Bulls, but early indications are that Brooklyn is not moving. That makes the Clippers (No. 5 pick), the Sacramento Kings (No. 7 pick), and the Atlanta Hawks (No. 8 pick) the most realistic trade partners for Chicago to try and move into the top 10.
The Bulls own the 15th, 38th, and 56th picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, as well as all of their first-round picks through 2033, making them the top team others are watching for a potential trade up the board on draft night.
The Chicago Bulls are one of three teams still actively interviewing candidates to be their next head coach, along with the Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks. With Billy Donovan and the organization parting ways at the end of the 2025-26 season, the Bulls have clearly taken things in a new direction by moving on from lead executives Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley.