Could the Chicago Bulls Next Head Coach Already Be in the Building?

New Chicago Bulls front office leader Bryson Graham has made his priorities clear in recent days.

Amid a busy week at the NBA Draft Combine, the executive vice president of basketball operations started to build out his front office. Both Brooklyn's Acie Law IV and Orlando's Stephen Mervis were reportedly hired to high-ranking roles. Exactly what the job descriptions are for each remains to be seen. However, the mere fact that Graham has quickly worked to add these roles gives fans an idea of what's at the top of his mind.

In other words, finding the team's next head coach has seemingly taken a backseat. Does that mean it will not happen in the very near future? No, but it very well could mean that Graham isn't expected to lean on his next head coach as heavily as the previous regime did. Instead, he appears to want a stable leadership team in place first and foremost. And chances are, this leadership team will then aid in the process of deciding on a new head coach.

Nevertheless, K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network shared a small update on the coaching search in recent days. Not only did he say that a handful of current assistants are likely to return, but he also mentioned that Billy Donovan's former lead assistant, Wes Unseld Jr., could be interviewed for the top job.

Could Wes Unseld Jr. Be the Bulls' Next Head Coach?

Jan 18, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Washington Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. coaches against the New York Knicks during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

All things considered, it probably should have been assumed that Wes Unseld Jr. would be part of the new front office's coaching search. He has a level of familiarity with the leftover players on the roster and has been an extremely well-regarded assistant for well over a decade. Not to mention, he is currently the only assistant in the building to have prior head coaching experience. Even if it is more of a formality or a sign of respect, Graham interviewing him for the job makes sense.

At the same time, I wouldn't sell Unseld Jr.'s chance of earning the job short. He has been an assistant since the 2005-06 season, beginning his career with the Washington Wizards. After a stint in Golden State and Orlando, he would make his way to Denver, where he became one of the NBA's most touted assistants. This led to plenty of head coaching interviews, and he eventually landed the job back in Washington.

Unseld Jr. coached the Wizards for three seasons, leading them to a record of 35-47 in back-to-back years before he left his post midway through the 2023-24 campaign. The team was 7-36 and in full-blown tank mode. Unseld Jr. would accept a front office role and hand the coaching duties off to Brian Keefe. Looking to get back into the coaching world, however, Unseld Jr. would go on to join Billy Donovan later that summer as his top assistant.

Holding a 37.2 winning percentage with the Wizards, it's hard to imagine many fans doing jumping jacks if Unseld Jr. wins Graham over. Why not take a chance on a different and possibly younger high-ranking assistant? Well, there is certainly some level of comfort that comes with having a coach who has done the job before. Unseld Jr. is also very familiar with what a rebuilding situation looks like and likely wouldn't be fazed by some of the bumps that come with it.

Again, there is also something to be said about hiring someone as established as him. Unseld Jr. has been in the league for a long time. If the Bulls are simply focused on developing talent and establishing a respectable culture, he could be a relatively safe hire.

The real question is whether they view this next hire as their head coach of the future, or simply someone to help them get from Point A to Point B. If it's the former, trying their hardest to land Sean Sweeney or Micah Nori may be their best bet. If it is the latter, though, Unseld Jr. could make some sense. Plenty of rebuilding organizations have gone with a bridge coach before, and he has the experience to be a serviceable option.

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