Chicago Bulls swoop in, reportedly hire Tiago Splitter away from Portland to be next head coach
The Chicago Bulls have finalized a deal to hire Tiago Splitter as their next head coach, ending a search that followed Billy Donovan’s departure. Splitter, who led the Portland Trail Blazers to a 42-39 record as interim coach this season, will take over a franchise seeking renewed competitiveness. The move leaves the Blazers’ coaching search in flux, with Splitter’s exit possibly resetting their process. A formal introduction is scheduled for Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
What changed
The Bulls’ hiring of Splitter is now official, with multiple sources confirming a deal and the team’s announcement, whereas prior reports were speculative.
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Bulls Officially Hire Tiago Splitter as Head Coach After Portland Tenure
confidence 96%The Chicago Bulls have finalized a deal to hire Tiago Splitter as their next head coach, ending a search that followed Billy Donovan’s departure. Splitter, who led the Portland Trail Blazers to a 42-39 record as interim coach this season, will take over a franchise seeking renewed competitiveness. The move leaves the Blazers’ coaching search in flux, with Splitter’s exit possibly resetting their process. A formal introduction is scheduled for Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
What's confirmed:
- The Chicago Bulls have reached a deal to hire Tiago Splitter as head coach, effective immediately, following his interim tenure with the Portland Trail Blazers.
- Splitter guided the Trail Blazers to a 42-39 record during the 2025-26 season as interim coach after Chauncey Billups’ arrest.
- The Bulls emphasized Splitter’s basketball intellect, player development skills, and competitive approach in their decision, citing his ability to connect with players.
- The hiring leaves the Portland Trail Blazers’ coaching search potentially at square one, as Splitter’s departure removes a candidate they had considered.
- Splitter is scheduled to hold an introductory news conference with the Bulls on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
Still unconfirmed:
- The Blazers’ coaching search may now restart from scratch, though no official statement has been issued by the franchise.
- Splitter’s player-development track record and playoff experience were key factors in the Bulls’ decision, though no formal evaluation metrics have been released.