Bulls Lose Arguably Their Best Head Coach Candidate

The Chicago Bulls got some unfortunate news on Friday afternoon.

As the organization continues its lengthy head coaching search, one of its candidates has taken itself out of the running. Sean Sweeney is officially headed to the Orlando Magic, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The San Antonio Spurs associate head coach was closely tied to the franchise over the last handful of weeks and will take over for the recently fired Jamahl Mosley.

Charania reported that Sweeney will finish out the regular season with the Spurs, who are now only one game away from advancing to the NBA Finals. Game 7 between them and the Thunder is set for Saturday night in Oklahoma City.

Chicago Bulls Watch Sean Sweeney Go Elsewhere ...

Feb 10, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Sean Sweeney talks with guard Max Christie (00) and forward Naji Marshall (13) during the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Sean Sweeney was arguably the most highly coveted assistant this offseason. He was connected to the jobs in Dallas, Orlando, and Chicago over the last month. In our recent rankings of head coach candidates for the Bulls, Sweeney sat at the top of the list for his deep experience, despite being only 41 years old.

Indeed, Sweeney has helped an impressive list of superstars over his coaching career thus far. He's helped Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, and Victor Wembanyama reach new heights. Speaking of which, he has been in charge of the Spurs' remarkable defense this season, which has been incredibly productive and disciplined for a young group.

Seeing him sign on with a fellow Eastern Conference squad surely stings. However, this is precisely why the Bulls were right to cast such a wide net. They have decided to be very patient with their process, and there is no question that they have many other qualified names on the list.

Minnesota's Micah Nori might now be considered the new frontrunner. A player-first leader known for his relationship building, he could be the perfect person to work with a young group. With that said, the Bulls are running the risk of seeing him go elsewhere, as well. The Portland Trail Blazers have named him a finalist in recent days, per reports.

Speaking of the Trail Blazers, interim head coach Tiago Splitter has also been in the mix. He's still said to be up for the full-time spot in Portland. He is a pretty fascinating candidate after leading the organization to its first playoff spot since the 2020-21 campaign.

It's also hard not to like the idea of Chris Quinn. The long-time Miami assistant has been Erik Spoelstra's right-hand man for years. When it comes to establishing a culture, there may not be candidates more familiar with what that looks like than Quinn.

Regardless, Chicago has a long list of eligible coaches left to sift through. Should a decision be made soon? Absolutely, but getting this hire right is one of Bryson Graham's most important initial moves, especially now that he's lost out on one very strong contender.

Current Chicago Bulls Head Coach Candidates List ...

• 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
• Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant

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