As the Chicago Bulls take their time searching for a new head coach, a top candidate could soon come off the board.
Chicago’s conference rival, the Orlando Magic, have plenty of interest in the San Antonio Spurs assistant, Sean Sweeney.
According to The Stein Line, the Magic are becoming increasingly interested in adding Sweeney, and they likely had boots on the ground in Texas to take in the Western Conference Finals showdown between the Spurs and the OKC Thunder.
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*UPDATE: The Orlando Magic are expected to hire Sean Sweeney as their new head coach to replace Jamahl Mosley.
The Chicago Bulls Get A Threat In Orlando
If the Bulls want Sweeney to steer the ship for them after the Billy Donovan era, then they have to act quickly.
The good news is that Sweeney is currently part of a competitive series–so he probably won’t rush to any major future decisions until he gets some downtime.
However, the Magic could pounce as soon as Sweeney is ready to put pen to the paper.
The Bulls’ Other Targets
When it comes to the Bulls’ coaching job, Sweeney isn’t in a league of one. Several candidates have been linked to Chicago’s vacancy.
Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn was one of the more recent targets. He has been a top assistant for Erik Spoesltra, who is one of the most respected coaches in the game.
Oklahoma City Thunder Assistant Dave Bliss is in the mix as well. He is coaching the defending champions, who could repeat in 2026.
Two other notable assistants are Micah Nori of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Johnnie Bryant of the Cleveland Cavaliers. New Orleans Pelicans’ former interim head coach James Borrego is still reportedly in the running.
Tiago Splitter, Jerry Stackhouse, and Wes Unseld Jr. were previously linked to the Bulls. However, The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer recently excluded their names from a list of candidates, which could be a telling sign about their standing for the job.
Billy Donovan Could Still Help The Bulls
The former head coach stepped down just one year after signing an extension to stay with the Bulls for several more seasons.
Donovan won’t help the Bulls for long, but maybe one final favor is in store. While the Magic are pursuing Sweeney, Donovan is still considered a candidate for the job. If he gets it, that allows the Bulls to continue pursuing the San Antonio coach.