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K.C. Johnson explains why there's 'positive momentum about the Bulls' | Chicago Sports Tonight
CHSN Bulls beat reporter K.C. Johnson joined Tina Nguyen from the NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. K.C. gives us the latest on the Bulls head coaching search and who some candidates might be. Also, which prospects might the Bulls be targeting with their two 1st round draft picks? Plus, K.C. says the NBA has been signing high praises about the Bulls and explains that vibes are high around the hiring Bryson Graham as EVP of Basketball Operations.
Editor's note: The Orlando Magic have reportedly neared an agreement to hire Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney as their next head coach.
It's easy to remember Bryson Graham's fun moment during his introduction as the Chicago Bulls Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations.
He said he was going to work collaboratively with Bulls President and CEO to find the team's next head coach. Reinsdorf corrected him on the spot.
"I picked you," Reinsdorf said. "You get to pick the coach."
Since then, Graham has hired two key pieces of his staff and reportedly begun his coaching search. He said he was going to cast a wide net, and so far reports allude to Graham doing just that.
Here are reported candidates for the Bulls' head coaching job, which has cast a wide net.
Bulls head coaching candidates
According to reports, the Bulls have targeted over a half dozen candidates for their head coaching vacancy.
There's only been one with head coaching experience.
Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, San Antonio Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney, Golden State Warriors assistant Jerry Stackhouse, Oklahoma City Thunder assistant Dave Bliss and Portland Trail Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter and Cleveland Cavaliers associate head coach Johnnie Bryant have all been reported as candidates.
Top Candidates:
There are reports that Sweeney and Quinn are the top candidates for the Bulls' head coaching job.
Sweeney is expected to be one of the top candidates this coaching cycle.
His work defensively with the Spurs in just one season, specifically Victor Wembanyama, has been a big catalyst for San Antonio's run to the Western Conference Finals.
Sweeney departed Dallas after the 2024-2025 season for a bigger title in San Antonio, and is expected to have his pick of whatever job he wants.
Quinn is someone who has been on head coaching lists since 2022, and started his coaching career in 2013 at Northwestern under Chris Collins.
Quinn has been on Spoelstra’s bench since 2014. He's risen to the title of associated head coach. He's helped the Heat to a pair of NBA Finals runs that featured Jimmy Butler in 2020 and 2023.
These two are primed for their first head coaching roles.
The other side:
Splitter is the only coach that has NBA head coaching experience on this list. Stackhouse has been a head coach. That was at the college level, leading Vanderbilt.
Splitter will earn plenty of calls this offseason. The Trail Blazers' interim head coach led Portland to a berth in the NBA Playoffs after winning in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
Splitter was named the head coach after Portland head coach Chauncey Billups was arrested in connection with a federal gambling investigation. After that, Splitter led the Trail Blazers to a 42-39 record. He's expected to get plenty of calls this offseason.
Bliss, Nori and Bryant are also attractive candidates for their work with NBA contenders. Nori is reportedly a finalist for the Trail Blazers' job, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
Sweeney and Bliss are the two reported candidates who are unavailable due to their teams being in the NBA Playoffs.