The Chicago Bulls sit closest to naming a new head coach among the three teams still searching, with the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers trailing in their processes. Chicago and Portland draw from overlapping shortlists that include Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter and Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori as finalists for both openings. Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr. and Atlanta Hawks assistant Ryan Schmidt remain in play specifically for Chicago. Portland governor Tom Dundon’s dual ownership of the Carolina Hurricanes has slowed the Blazers search while that NHL club pushes through the Stanley Cup Final. A potential deadline for all three hires sits at June 23, the first round of the 2026 NBA draft.

Masai Ujiri took over as Mavericks president on May 4 and gained full authority over basketball operations. The 52-year-old Nori has interviewed for multiple head-coaching jobs in recent years, including last summer’s New York Knicks opening. No contract figures have surfaced yet for any of the vacancies, but the shared finalists between Chicago and Portland suggest the two teams may need to differentiate quickly on terms and timeline.

Splitter’s experience running Portland’s offense last season offers a ready-made system built around young perimeter creators, while Nori’s defensive schemes from Minnesota emphasize switch-heavy coverages that could translate to Chicago’s athletic frontcourt. Unseld Jr. brings continuity from the Billy Donovan era and already knows the Bulls roster’s tendencies on both ends. The Mavericks appear inclined toward a first-time head coach in the mold of Ujiri’s Toronto hires, favoring assistants who can implement modern spacing and pace without prior NBA head-coaching baggage.

Ujiri’s arrival reset Dallas’s entire front-office philosophy after the team parted ways with Jason Kidd. Portland’s search has already seen Jeff Van Gundy drop out of consideration, narrowing options further. Chicago’s new decision-makers have maintained a deliberate pace, interviewing more than a dozen names while keeping internal candidates like Unseld Jr. in the mix. Rival teams continue to monitor how these hires reshape the Eastern and Western Conference coaching landscapes heading into free agency.

All three jobs could wrap before the June 23 draft, when front offices will shift focus to roster construction. The Blazers could accelerate once the Hurricanes conclude their playoff run. The Mavericks’ timeline remains the least defined, though Ujiri’s preference for rising assistants points toward a quicker resolution once interviews intensify. Chicago’s edge in the process gives it first crack at Splitter or Nori before Portland can respond.

Nori’s limited contact with Dallas so far underscores how each team’s distinct vision will ultimately separate the candidates even when the names overlap.