The Chicago Bulls are continuing to widen their head coaching search, with longtime Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn set to interview for the position after the franchise’s disappointing 31-51 season and fourth straight year outside the playoffs.
NBA insider Michael Scotto reported Friday that Chicago plans to interview Quinn as part of its search, citing league sources. Scotto added that Quinn has been on Erik Spoelstra’s staff since 2014 and is widely regarded for his player development background.
Quinn enters the process with one of the league’s longest assistant coaching résumés on a stable contender. During his time in Miami, the Heat developed a reputation for maximizing role players, maintaining defensive structure, and sustaining playoff competitiveness through roster turnover, qualities that could appeal to a Chicago franchise entering a developmental phase.
The Bulls’ search appears focused on coaches with teaching experience and system-building backgrounds rather than only established NBA head coaches. Chicago recently hired Bryson Graham as executive vice president of basketball operations and added Stephen Mervis and Acie Law in key front-office roles as part of a broader organizational reset.
Another candidate to emerge is Jerry Stackhouse, whom NBA insider Marc Stein reported has become a candidate in Chicago. Stackhouse is expected to leave the Golden State Warriors after spending two seasons on Steve Kerr’s staff.
Before joining Golden State in 2024, Stackhouse spent five seasons as head coach at Vanderbilt Commodores men’s basketball, adding NCAA head coaching experience to a résumé that also includes NBA assistant work and player development responsibilities.
Chicago is also reportedly pursuing permission to interview Lamar Skeeter of the Charlotte Hornets and Ryan Schmidt of the Atlanta Hawks. Skeeter built experience across the G League and NBA systems, while Schmidt’s résumé includes championship success with the London Lions and developmental coaching stops in Canada.
The Bulls hold the No. 4 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and are expected to lean heavily on young pieces such as Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis moving forward, making player development an important factor in the coaching decision.
The coaching vacancy opened after Billy Donovan stepped down last month. With Chicago coming off a 31-51 finish that left the club 12th in the Eastern Conference, the franchise is weighing candidates capable of installing structure, developing talent, and guiding a long-term rebuild back toward playoff relevance.
