The Chicago Bulls' coaching search is officially ramping up.
The hiring of Bryson Graham as the new lead executive in Chicago has given the team a concrete vision. With many of the proven head coaches, such as Jamahl Mosley, Taylor Jenkins, and Michael Malone, off the market, it's becoming more likely the Bulls will need to go with an unproven assistant to execute that.
In a sense, that might be their best bet. They're in a spot as an organization where they can afford to take a gamble on an innovate first-time head coach. They need to get that gamble right, however, at least in the short-term.
The obvious choices from that crowd are names like Sean Sweeney of the San Antonio Spurs and Micah Nori of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Sweeney has been the architect of the Spurs' formidable defense this season, and Nori has been lauded for his work as the lead assistant for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
But one candidate who, to this point, hasn't gotten a ton of buzz could actually have a serious case for the job. Dave Bliss of the Oklahoma City Thunder has been instrumental in the way the Thunder have constructed their roster, and his history as both a defensive mind and a player development specialist could give him the versatility he needs to help turn the Bulls around.
Dave Bliss could have a serious case for the Bulls' coaching job
Thankfully, the Bulls should have their pick of the litter when it comes to up-and-coming assistants in this coaching cycle. The Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans have already hired their coaches, and it seems like the Orlando Magic are taking a long look at Billy Donovan. It remains uncertain what the Dallas Mavericks will do after they and Jason Kidd mutually agreed to part ways.
That leaves the Portland Trail Blazers' (and possibly the Mavericks) as the lone competition for whoever ends up being the Bulls' top choice. Bliss has not yet been interviewed by Portland, but he has a confirmed interview with Chicago.
If Bliss, a four-year college center at Georgia, is able to convince Graham he has the right personality to take over the team, his resumé could serve to separate him from the pack. Apart from three seasons between 2015 and 2018, he's spent his entire coaching career in Oklahoma City, beginning as a player development coach and working his way up to become one of Mark Daigneault's most trusted assistants, working to scheme up the defense on a night-to-night basis. He's been wildly successful on both counts.
In his first stint as a player development coach for the Thunder, the team made two trips to the Western Conference Finals and one to the NBA Finals. In his second stint, the team traded for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and laid the foundations for what would later become one of the most deep and formidable teams in the NBA.
As a lead assistant on Mark Daigneault's staff since 2019, he's been absolutely instrumental in constructing the Thunder's swarming, unassailable defensive attack. He's clearly helped build a strong culture in Oklahoma City, and given Graham's clear penchant for defense, he could be the right candidate to do that in Chicago.
Of course, the coaching search is in its early stages. We don't yet know what Graham's preferences will be. But Bliss, on the surface, seems like he has the right background to quickly emerge as a serious candidate.
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