Trail Blazers Eye Bulls HC Candidates Micah Nori and Tiago Splitter

The Chicago Bulls have started their coaching search — but they're not the only ones circling the most promising names.

Per The Stein Line's Marc Stein, the Portland Trail Blazers have identified Tiago Splitter and Micah Nori as finalists for their head coaching vacancy, alongside LA Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy, per NBA insider Chris Haynes. Both Splitter and Nori are names the Bulls have already been tracking, putting Chicago in direct competition with Portland for two of the most coveted candidates on the market.

Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported Friday that Portland will also interview Stackhouse for the head coach position this weekend.

Earlier this week, Fischer reported that the Bulls had begun formal interviews for their coaching vacancy. The list included Splitter, Nori, Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr., James Borrego, David Bliss, Lamar Skeeter and former NBA player Jerry Stackhouse. CHSN's K.C. Johnson also reported that Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney is considered a "hot candidate" on Chicago's radar.

Splitter's emergence as a legitimate head coaching target is one of the more compelling stories of this offseason. The Brazilian took over as Portland's interim coach after Chauncey Billups was placed on immediate leave following an arrest tied to an illegal gambling investigation.

Despite the sudden chaos, Splitter guided the young Trail Blazers team to seventh in the Western Conference, clinching a playoff berth without Damian Lillard. That kind of composure under pressure, combined with a demonstrated ability to connect with players through organizational turbulence, is exactly what makes him attractive to multiple teams simultaneously.

Nori's case builds on a different kind of credibility. He broke into coaching with the Toronto Raptors in 2009, moved to Sacramento, then joined Mike Malone's staff in Denver in 2015, where he was part of the infrastructure that helped shape Nikola Jokic's early development.

He later reunited with Chris Finch in Minnesota, and when Finch suffered a patellar tendon injury during the 2024 playoffs, Nori stepped into the interim role and guided the Timberwolves on a historic run to the Western Conference Finals. The Athletic has named him as one of the top first-time head-coaching candidates in the league this summer.

Based on the candidates, it's apparent that Graham is looking for a younger and more versatile coach who is capable of developing talent on both ends. Those reported candidates clearly reflect that vision. But with Portland aggressively pursuing the same names, Chicago will need to move with urgency as the right coach won't be waiting around.