Overview
- Multiple outlets, citing ESPN reporter Shams Charania and Eurohoops and an Associated Press source, report the Bulls are finalizing a deal to hire Tiago Splitter but the team has not yet issued an official confirmation.
- Splitter has coached since 2018, led Paris Basketball in the EuroLeague, joined the Portland staff in summer 2025, and served as Portland’s interim coach during the 2025–26 season.
- As Portland’s interim coach he compiled a 42-40 record and guided the Trail Blazers to a seventh seed and a first-round playoff appearance, outcomes that raised his profile for permanent NBA jobs.
- Reports note Portland kept Splitter in interim status all season and that he was among the lowest-paid NBA coaches, a detail that highlights concerns about how teams treat and compensate interim head coaches.
- The Bulls reportedly considered Micah Nori, Ryan Schmidt and Wes Unseld Jr. before narrowing to Splitter; the club’s next steps are to confirm the hire publicly and disclose contract terms, which will shape how the move affects Chicago’s roster and coaching staff.