Are the Trail Blazers Throwing a Wrench in Bulls' Head Coach Search?

The Chicago Bulls have some competition!

The Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks, and Orlando Magic have joined the Bulls this offseason in a quest for a new head coach. With these four jobs open, it was only a matter of time before there was some crossover between candidates. This is particularly true for Chicago when it comes to teams like Portland and Dallas. All three franchises find themselves in somewhat similar circumstances with young, rebuilding rosters.

Still, the Trail Blazers have specifically emerged as a team speaking with multiple coaches who are rumored to be on the Bulls' list. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Micah Nori and Jerry Stackhouse have both been tied to the Portland job in recent days. Each has found themselves on Chicago's running list. Nori was among the first reported candidates, while Stackhouse joined the fold earlier this week.

The Trail Blazers have also given current interim head coach Tiago Splitter a chance at securing the job. Initial rumors were that he wouldn't be brought back, making him appear like a potentially strong candidate for the Bulls' opening. The 41-year-old Splitter impressed this season after taking over following Chauncey Billups' dramatic exit. He proceeded to lead a young Trail Blazers team to a 42-39 record and secure the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference. It marked Portland's first trip back to the playoffs since the 2020-21 campaign.

Of course, it's not clear how serious the Bulls are about Splitter, and we may never know. But he is one of the very few candidates on their reported list that offers prior head coaching experience. One has to imagine that would have made him stand out in the interview process.

As for Nori, he has long felt like one of the top candidates for the Bulls' opening. The current Minnesota Timberwolves assistant has become one of the most highly-regarded No. 2s in the NBA. He has been a fundamental part of building the Minnesota Timberwolves into a true Western Conference contender alongside Chris Finch. Speaking of which, he's been praised for his very player-friendly personality and developmental skills. What more could you ask for as you start a rebuild?

The Bulls' list is long for a reason. There are a lot of qualified coaches out there, and potentially losing a candidate to the Trail Blazers would not be the end of the world. At the same time, this is an outcome you want to avoid if you can. Finding the right coach is never easy, and it only becomes more important when you're starting over completely. If Bryson Graham does feel passionate about Nori, Stackhouse, or Splitter being the right person to establish his culture, he should do everything he can to bring one of them into the fold.

All things considered, this is just another reason why it might not hurt to speed up the process. Yes, you want to be patient enough to make the right hire, but you don't want to be so patient that another team swoops in and steals your top target. There is a balance there, and Graham is now having to learn how to navigate that.

Running Chicago Bulls HC Search List ...

Dec 2, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs assistant head coach Sean Sweeney signals to players during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

• San Antonio Spurs Associate Head Coach Sean Sweeney
• Minnesota Timberwolves lead assistant Micah Nori
• Oklahoma City Thunder assistant Dave Bliss
• Portland Trail Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter
• Former New Orleans Pelicans interim head coach James Borrego
• Chicago Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr.
• Charlotte Hornets assistant Lamar Skeeter
• Atlanta Hawks assistant Ryan Schmidt
• Former Golden State Warriors assistant Jerry Stackhouse
• Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn

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