Bulls Set to Interview One of Their Most Fascinating Head Coach Candidates Yet

The Chicago Bulls will speak with Erik Spoelstra's long-time assistant Chris Quinn, according to a new report.

Apr 3, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Miami Heat assistant coach Chris Quinn addresses the media before a game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bulls have added another well-respected assistant to their head coach interview search.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Miami's Chris Quinn will interview for the open position. Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald confirmed that the Heat gave Quinn permission to speak with the Bulls. The news makes him the 10th reported candidate to be on Bryson Graham's list. He will join several other high-ranking assistants from around the league, including Micah Nori of the Timberwolves, Sean Sweeney of the San Antonio Spurs, and Dave Bliss of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Quinn is a former NBA guard who joined the Miami Heat organization right after the "Big 3" era came to a close. He started in the player development department and worked his way up to assistant coach, where he is now considered Erik Spoelstra's right-hand man.

Apr 28, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat associate head coach Chris Quinn (left), head coach Erik Spoelstra (center), assistant coach Malik Allen and assistant coach Caron Butler (right) look on from the bench against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the fourth quarter during game four for the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

It's rare to see an assistant stick with the same franchise for over a decade, but it certainly speaks to Quinn's value. The Heat have been one of the most successful franchises of the 21st century, and a big reason for that has been the leadership of Spoelstra. If he has viewed Quinn as this important a piece for this long, it bodes very well for what he could do as the leading man.

Indeed, other than perhaps Gregg Popovich, there may not be a better coach to have trained under for all these years. The Heat have been one of the most balanced teams for a long time, building a culture that is defined by consistent winning. Both Michael Reinsdorf and Graham have preached the importance of establishing a similar identity, wanting to build a franchise that is always relevant. Quinn has seen firsthand what it takes to build that.

This is exactly why he was one of the first coaches we named as a possible candidate following the departure of Billy Donovan. We ranked him second on our "realistic" scale, only putting Nori ahead of him.

Quinn has interviewed with the Lakers, Cavaliers, and Suns in recent years (among others), per reports.

Running Chicago Bulls HC Search List ...

• 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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