Since Bryson Graham took over as the Chicago Bulls‘ new Vice President of Basketball Operations, two names were mentioned as candidates to replace Billy Donovan as head coach. One was Wes Unself Jr., who’d been Donovan’s assistant in Chicago since 2024. He has prior head coaching experience from his three seasons in Washington. The other is Sean Sweeney, the highly-touted assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs, who are currently up 1-0 in the Western Conference Finals against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
However, it was unlikely the list would stick to just those two options. Graham plans to speak with multiple people. It was merely a matter of finding out who they are. Updates from NBA insiders K.C. Johnson and Jake Fischer brought some clarity on that front. Four more names have joined the list. One is James Borrego, former interim head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans, who took over after Willie Green was fired following a 2-10 start. There is, of course, Micah Nori, the respected assistant head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Tiago Splitter, who stepped in as an interim and got Portland to the playoffs. Last but not least, there is Dave Bliss, who has been with the Thunder since 2019 and helped them win the championship last season.
Sean Sweeney and Unseld certainly have some competition.
All of these names have varying degrees of credibility. Borrego became the head coach in Charlotte in 2018. After four years of work, he guided them back to a winning record. Unfortunately, they missed the playoffs and he was fired. It was rather unfair given the state of the team’s roster. Borrego was vindicated as the Hornets fell apart over the next three seasons. He went to New Orleans, where he helped them deliver their second-best record in franchise history with 49 wins in 2023-2024.
Nori is well-traveled, having worked with five different NBA franchises since 2009. He is known for his disciplined approach and excellent defensive prowess. His influence on the Timberwolves has been extensive, particularly during their recent playoff runs. Nori also knows what rebuilds entail, as he experienced them in Toronto, Denver, and Detroit.
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Bliss earned more of a reputation in player development. That can be clearly seen with the incredible job Oklahoma City has done drafting and molding talents like Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Luguentz Dort, and Ajay Mitchell. That must also include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whom the team acquired from the Clippers via trade. The Bulls have said player development would be a major focus for the next coach.
As for Splitter?
He brings a wealth of success as both a player and a coach. He was a star in the European leagues for several years and became an NBA champion with the Spurs in 2014. Then he became a head coach for Paris in 2024, going on to win the French Cup in 2025. It wasn’t a big surprise that he managed to turn the Blazers around as he did. This is somebody who is more than ready for the main job.
It seems pretty clear that the Bulls have assembled a quality list of candidates to meet. Sean Sweeney might still be the favorite, but he’ll have plenty of competition. It will be interesting to see how patient the team is since two of the top candidates are still in the playoffs. Will they wait it out to make sure they make the right decision? We’ll find out more in the next couple of weeks.
