Atlantic Notes: Sixers Free Agents, Nets Rookies, Brunsons
The Sixers‘ core four of Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Paul George, and Joel Embiid are all under contract for next season, but three of their rotation players are unrestricted free agents: Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Andre Drummond.
Grimes had an up-and-down season, with career-low three-point efficiency despite some strong stretches of play, particularly in March, when Maxey was injured, Gina Mizell writes for the Philadelphia Inquirer. After signing a qualifying offer last summer, it’s unclear where his relationship stands with the organization, which is currently searching for its next head of basketball ops. His potential departure could leave the once-stocked guard rotation very thin.
Meanwhile, Oubre was able to find a home in Philadelphia and it’s unclear what kind of market he’ll see this summer.
“The game of basketball has reinvented itself to me through different lenses and different eyes throughout my tenure here, and I’m forever appreciative for the opportunity to play for this city,” he said.
We have more from around the Atlantic Division:
- Entering the 2025 draft with five first-round picks, the Nets had hopes that they could jump-start their rebuild. After somewhat surprisingly using all five selections, Brooklyn was shut out of the 2026 All-Rookie awards, with only Egor Demin receiving votes. The Nets didn’t bring in these five players in order to make All-Rookie teams, C.J. Holmes writes for the New York Daily News, but the voting exemplifies how far away the franchise still is from turning things around, especially given that they fell to No. 6 in the 2026 draft lottery. While they don’t need all five of the 2025 rookies to hit, they do need to see proof moving forward that at least a couple of them can become real rotation players.
- A public confrontation between Jalen Brunson and his father, Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson, during Game 4 of the first round immediately became social media fodder. The heated, yet respectful, exchange was nothing dramatic, however, but rather a natural part of the competitive father-son duo’s dynamic, going back to when Rick began coaching at the University of Virginia in 2007, Ian Begley writes for SNY. The elder Brunson would give his son no quarter as he put him through training, looking to see how he would respond. “I wanted to see if he would fold or if he would keep coming back,” Rick said. “Are you going to give in? Are you going to talk back? Or are you just going to work and keep showing that you can do it? I would always tell him, ‘This is what a college coach is going to do — the difference is I love you, he doesn’t.'” To the surprise of no one who has watched the Villanova champion’s career trajectory, he kept coming back.
- In case you missed it, we relayed several Knicks notes this morning in the wake of their Game 2 win over Cleveland.
De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper To Play In Game 3; Jalen Williams Out
The Spurs’ backcourt will be fully available for Game 3 in San Antonio on Friday, as ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper have both been cleared to play (Twitter link).
Fox missed the first two games of the series with a high right ankle sprain, while Harper left Game 2 in the third quarter after suffering an adductor injury.
Harper started the first two games in lieu of Fox and put up historic numbers in Game 1. While the Spurs were able to take that game on the road in double overtime, Fox’s absence was strongly felt during the two games in Oklahoma City, particularly when it came to organizing the offense and taking care of the ball.
Stephon Castle took over a large portion of the point guard duties, and while he had 19 assists through two games, he also committed 20 turnovers.
Still, the Castle/Harper combination was formidable defensively against Thunder MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Spurs may have to adjust their scheme with the return of Fox.
Meanwhile, Jalen Williams has been ruled out for the Thunder, Charania reports (via Twitter). Williams is dealing with the effects of a recurring left hamstring injury that caused him to miss the entire second round against the Lakers. He appeared to aggravate that injury in Game 2 vs. San Antonio.
Ajay Mitchell, who started for Williams in the Lakers series, also suffered a minor injury near the end of Game 2, but it won’t keep him from suiting up on Friday.
Blazers Notes: Coaching Search, Grant, Wesley, Cissoko
The Trail Blazers‘ search for their next head coach is starting to take shape, with a multitude of names being added to the list of interviewees this week, and seemingly still more to come.
Five candidates have progressed to the second round of the process and will interview in person, according to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian (subscriber link): Jeff Van Gundy (Clippers), Tiago Splitter (Blazers), Micah Nori (Timberwolves), Tyler Lashbrook (Celtics), and Mike Williams (Jazz). While those coaches have been identified as “finalists,” more candidates could still join that group, as the team continues to hold preliminary interviews with other potential targets, including Jerry Stackhouse.
Part of the cause of the lack of clarity in reporting is the unusual method of the hiring search, Freeman writes, as the team still hasn’t decided whether it will hold in-person interviews in Portland, Dallas, or Raleigh, North Carolina, which would help new owner Tom Dundon stay close to his NHL team, the Carolina Hurricanes, who are currently in the Eastern Conference finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
One name has already been eliminated from the search, as Jared Dudley (Nuggets) had an interview via Zoom, but did not make it to the next round, Freeman writes.
A source told The Oregonian that Portland will look to make its decision by the end of May, though that’s not necessarily viewed as a firm deadline.
We have more from around the Blazers:
- After a disappointing 2024/25 season, veteran forward Jerami Grant had a good year in ’25/26, averaging 18.6 points while hitting 38.9% of his threes in 29.7 minutes per game. He started 38 of his 57 games and provided a steadying presence throughout the year. It’s unclear what his future is with the team or elsewhere, given the large amount of money still owed to him and the ways his game has aged, Freeman writes (subscriber link). Grant is under contract for $34.2MM next season, with a $36.4MM player option in 2027/28, and his defense and rebounding have fallen off considerably since his time in Denver, making the prospect of trading him a tricky one.
- Blake Wesley looked poised to contribute in a real way this year, but a broken bone in his foot derailed his season in late October. He missed three months, during which time Splitter changed the team’s playing style, according to Freeman in a separate piece. When he returned, Wesley couldn’t quite match his early-season impact, but he remained a well-liked locker room presence. Whether he stays or goes this summer will depend on who else is out there. “If you, as an organization, feel like you can upgrade that third point guard spot, you do it. If you feel like you like him, you bring him back,” an anonymous scout said. “He’s an end-of-the-bench guy. Still young and not much more than a backup.” Another scout was slightly more complimentary: “I liked him. He’s a third point guard. Dynamic. He’s quick, athletic, (has) long arms, plays both side of the ball, puts pressure on the defense. He’s a minimum (contract) guy. He was really good for them. I like what I saw from him last year.”
- Another young player who was a pleasant surprise in 2025/26 was Sidy Cissoko, Freeman writes. The 22-year-old wing, who has a $2.5MM partially guaranteed deal for next season, ended up starting 26 games and having his two-day deal converted into a standard contract. “He’s only 22, but I feel like I’ve been watching this kid for five years,” a scout said. “He’s got a good feel for the game and he plays hard. That’s why coaches love him. But his lack of ability to shoot the ball is going to hurt him.” Cissoko shot 29.8% from three this season on 2.6 attempts, both of which were career-high numbers.
Thunder Notes: Williams, McCain, Bench, Presti
The Thunder are heading into San Antonio with a tied series and a question mark hanging over their All-NBA wing, Jalen Williams, who is currently listed as day-to-day with a left hamstring injury and is questionable to play on Friday.
Whether Williams returns for Game 3 or misses the rest of the series, the Thunder should still feel good about their chances to beat the Spurs and advance to the NBA Finals, Joe Mussatto writes for The Oklahoman. That’s partly because of the injuries facing the Spurs’ backcourt, as both De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper are questionable for Game 3. It’s also because the Thunder are, by now, experienced in winning without Williams.
“Obviously if we don’t have him it hurts,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I still believe in this team, though. Like you said, we played a bunch of games without him, won big games without him, but I still think we can get the job done. But yeah, losing a guy like that, a caliber of player like that, no matter how good your team is otherwise, it hurts a little bit. And also for him as a human being. He had a tough year with injuries.”
While Williams is a more accomplished, experienced player than Harper, Mussatto posits that in this particular matchup, Harper might be more important to the Spurs’ game plan than Williams is to the Thunder’s, especially if Fox remains out.
We have more notes from the Thunder:
- While Jared McCain is known for his three-point shooting, as well as his TikTok dances, he knows that to play in this hard-fought series, he will need to tap into a more gritty skill set. “Anything I can do. Shot’s not falling, I want to stay on the court no matter what,” he said, per Jordan Davis of The Oklahoman (video link). “So if I can make some hustle plays, get some rebounds, anything I can to stay in the floor I wanna do.” McCain contributed four offensive rebounds, three assists, and two steals in his 26 minutes during Game 2, bringing a level of hustle that seemed to help energize the team even though he shot just 4-of-14 from the field.
- McCain isn’t the only Thunder reserve who understands what it will take to earn minutes at the highest level. The Thunder’s bench is deep with players who stay ready for their number to be called, Justin Martinez writes for The Oklahoman. That includes Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, and Alex Caruso, the last of whom has been integral to the team’s success so far this season. “I think it’s just a team that, one through 15, everyone is always ready,” Mitchell said. “Everyone really buys into it. I feel like every time we put someone in, he’s going to have an impact, which is huge.” Caruso, who has two championships to his name and is looking for a third, said that having that mindset is a prerequisite for achieving what the team hopes to achieve. “It’s that time of year,” he said. “If you’re not fearless, then you’re probably gonna lose and go home. You’ve got to lay it all out on the line if you want to win. If you want to win big, at least. If you want to win the last game of the season, which I do. Every time that I’m here, I want to win the last one. For me, it’s pretty easy to get myself going and lock into that mentality.”
- When general manager Sam Presti recruited Isaiah Hartenstein as a free agent, there was little in the way of flash, despite the fact that he would eventually offer the German center the largest free agent contract in Thunder history. Instead, Presti focused on what really mattered to him: the team identity he had spent years building. “I can’t promise you minutes,” Presti told Hartenstein, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “I can’t promise you a role. But I can promise you a culture.” After losing to the Mavericks in the second round of the 2024 playoffs, Presti didn’t panic or go star-hunting. Instead, he focused on bringing in the kinds of players who would enhance the stars already on the roster: Hartenstein, for one. Caruso, for another. It’s a decision that has been felt and appreciated throughout the organization. “Sam has passed on talents to get human beings,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That mindset has really helped this group. It’s a big reason why we all get along so well and have this chemistry that everyone talks about. Sam brings a certain type of person in here.” Those two players proved crucial in Oklahoma City’s first title run last season, and have been equally critical this postseason, as they’ve hit timely shots, played physical defense against the likes of Victor Wembanyama, and made the hustle plays that set the Thunder’s hard-nosed defense apart.
Cavaliers Notes: Culture, Mitchell, Tyson, Process
One of the hardest things a team can do is try to rebuild an identity from scratch after the departure of a superstar, but that’s what the Cavaliers have done in the years since LeBron James‘ second departure, Dave McMenamin writes for ESPN.
“When LeBron left, we just fell flat on our faces because we just weren’t rooted in anything,” a team source told ESPN. “We weren’t rooted in anything foundational in terms of culture or team-building or player development. We were just rooted in the culture of LeBron.”
After several years of slowly setting pieces in place, the Cavs’ rebuild took a leap forward when they brought in Donovan Mitchell. The athletic shooting guard quickly became a steadying influence on the team, both as a leader in the locker room and a rising tide on the floor. His leadership emphasized empowering and preparing the younger players on the team for the rigors that come with being a top team in the league.
“Four years without him, in the rebuild: one play-in game,” a team source said of Mitchell. “Four years with him: four playoff appearances, three second-round appearances, a conference finals appearance.”
With Mitchell in place, the Cavaliers became one of the most successful regular season teams in the league, but the highest levels of playoff success still eluded them. Sources told McMenamin that the second-round loss to the Pacers in 2025 was like “getting punched in the face” for the team that had the second-best regular-season record in the league. That disappointment created the necessary conditions to trade Darius Garland for James Harden this season.
“We needed to change … I said it even before we won these two series. We’re a better team,” coach Kenny Atkinson said of the Harden deal. “I’ve been saying, ‘We’re a better team, we’re a better team, we’re a better team.’ And even though with James, it’s not perfect because we’ve only been together [for] two and a half months. …I’ll take the character and kind of toughness we added over that.”
We have more from the Cavaliers:
- Mitchell appeared limited by an injury of some sort in Game 1, which prompted conversations, including on the broadcast, about his health status during Game 2, which he started more tentatively than usual. He denied any such injury, writes Stephen Whyno of AP News, saying that he felt “great.” However, Atkinson was less ready to dismiss the idea. “Donovan, he’s not complaining about it to me,” the coach said. “I did see him trying to work through it — probably some stiffness. But I asked him if he wanted to come out in the fourth quarter and he’s like, ‘I’m fine,’ so I think he’s fine.” Game 3 on Saturday night will be Cleveland’s seventh game in 13 days, whereas the Knicks got well over a week to rest after their second-round sweep of the Sixers. The Cavs star isn’t letting that be an excuse, though. “We’re not tired,” Mitchell said. “We’re not tired. We’re ready to go for Game 3.“
- Jaylon Tyson was one of the Cavs’ standout role players this season, raising his points per game from 3.6 as a rookie to 13.2 in his second year while making 42 starts. After playing just 10 minutes over the last three games of the team’s seven-game series against the Pistons, Tyson didn’t see the court in Game 1 against the Knicks. Atkinson said after the first loss that he wasn’t ruling out Tyson and that his decision had been more about how he felt about the group that was already on the floor, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “He’s still alive. We’ll need him,” Atkinson said prior to Game 2. “Don’t know if it’s tonight, but he’s right there. We were playing well with the group we had out there most of the game. He’s in the bullpen warming up.” The 6’6″ guard ended up playing over 10 minutes on Thursday, the most playing time he’d seen since May 9, but he struggled to find the range from deep, going 0-for-3 on three-pointers.
- Despite the 2-0 hole the Cavs find themselves in, they believe in the way they’ve approached the series, Joe Vardon writes for The Athletic. “Our process was right tonight,” Mitchell said after Game 2. Despite not taking a single shot in the fourth quarter, Evan Mobley used the same terminology, saying, “It was definitely the right process. There’s definitely a few possessions you want back and a few turnovers and stuff like that, but overall, I feel like we played a pretty good game.” One aspect of the Cavs’ process was forcing the ball away from Knicks star Jalen Brunson and into Josh Hart‘s hands. For a quarter, it looked like it was working, but Hart caught fire beginning in the second quarter and finished the game with 26 points on 5-of-11 shooting from three.
- Still, the Cavaliers aren’t heading back to Cleveland feeling defeated, writes ESPN’s Jamal Collier. “That’s just how our whole playoffs have been, our back against the wall,” Jarrett Allen said. “We like to keep things interesting. We like to keep everybody stressing about what the next game is going to be like. This is no different from what we’re doing now. We’ve got to take care of home court.” The Cavs shot just 25.7% from three in Game 2, with sharpshooters Max Strus and Sam Merrill combining to go 1-for-11. They’re relying on their role players finding the range now that they’ll be at home for the next two games.
Spurs’ Fox, Harper Listed As Questionable For Game 3
May 22: Harper will be a game-time decision on Friday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link), who says the rookie guard is expected to go through his pregame routine before the Spurs determine whether or not he’ll be available.
May 21: The Spurs are hoping to enter a pivotal Game 3 with a healthy roster, but it’s unclear what their backcourt rotation will look like as starting point guard De’Aaron Fox is listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain while rookie Dylan Harper, who has been starting in Fox’s place, is listed as questionable with right adductor soreness, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link).
After averaging 17.7 points and 5.0 assists in the Spurs’ six-game series win over the Timberwolves, Fox has missed the first two games of the series due to a right high ankle sprain. He was listed as questionable coming into Game 2, but ruled out prior to tip-off.
Harper has averaged 14.4 points and 1.5 steals in 26.8 minutes per game throughout his rookie season playoff run, and those numbers rose to 18.0 PPG, 4.5 APG, and 3.5 SPG in the two games he started for Fox against the Thunder. However, Harper exited Game 2 early with a leg injury after coming down awkwardly in the third quarter and was scheduled for an MRI on Thursday.
Short on guards, the Spurs turned to 30-year-old backup Jordan McLaughlin, who had played just 24 minutes in the playoffs prior to Game 2. He logged seven minutes, scoring six points on a pair of threes. If neither Fox nor Harper are able to go in Game 3, McLaughlin might be tasked with more backup guard minutes.
“We have to continue to trust our depth and guys have to step up and when their names call and answer the bell,” head coach Mitch Johnson said, per Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.
Thunder star wing Jalen Williams is also listed as questionable and is considered day-to-day due to a left hamstring injury moving forward.
Game 3 will tip off at 7:30 Central on Friday.
Mavericks Notes: Kidd, Sweeney, Coaching Search, Barlowe
On Tuesday, the Mavericks announced that the team and head coach Jason Kidd had mutually agreed to part ways. On Thursday morning, Kidd issued a statement thanking the organization with which he spent the last five seasons (Twitter link).
“I want to sincerely thank the Mavericks organization, the players, coaches, staff, front office, ownership, and every employee behind the scenes who put their heart into this team every single day. It has been an honor to work alongside so many incredible people,” he said. “To the players, thank you for your trust, your commitment, and the battles we went through together. I am proud of what we built, the relationships formed, and the way you competed night in and night out.”
He finished by thanking the fan base and the city of Dallas.
The Hall of Fame point guard finished his time in Dallas with a 205-205 record, falling to .500 overall during the last two seasons as the Mavs were beset injuries as well as the trade of Luka Doncic. Under Kidd, the team advanced to the 2024 NBA Finals as well as the 2022 Western Conference Finals.
We have more notes from the Mavs:
- Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney is expected to draw significant interest from the Mavs as they seek Kidd’s successor, per ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel (Twitter link). Sweeney, long considered a head coaching candidate, has been an assistant in the league since 2013 and spent four years in Dallas before being hired by San Antonio in 2025. He has also been connected to the coaching searches in Chicago and Orlando this spring.
- New Mavs president Masai Ujiri has said that he plans to cast a wide net as the team seeks a new head coach. One possible target is Duke coach Jon Scheyer — Siegel reports that Dallas is expected to reach out to Scheyer, though he’s considered to be committed to his current position with the Blue Devils. Jared Dudley (Nuggets), Micah Nori (Timberwolves), Frank Vogel (Mavericks), and current coaching free agents like Tom Thibodeau and Donovan are some other potential candidates to keep an eye on for the Mavs, Mike Curtis speculates for the Dallas Morning News.
- As part of the organizational shake-up that comes with new leadership, Rafael Barlowe is no longer with the team after nearly a year of serving as an international scout for the team, Barlowe confirmed on Twitter. Prior to his time in Dallas, Barlowe scouted the draft for the website NBABigBoard.com.
Micah Nori Among Finalists For Blazers’ Coaching Job
The Trail Blazers‘ coaching search appears to be progressing toward a resolution.
On the heels of reports that interim head coach Tiago Splitter and lead Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy are considered finalists for the job, a third name has been added to the mix, with Marc Stein of The Stein Line stating that Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori is another finalist (Twitter link).
The Blazers’ interest in the Wolves’ assistant was already known. However, there have been rumors that Portland is looking at upwards of 20 or 30 candidates, so it was unclear until now whether Nori was viewed as a serious contender for the position.
Nori has been an assistant coach since 2009, when he was hired by Toronto. After a four-year stint with the Raptors from 2009-13, he also spent time as an assistant with the Kings (2013-15), Nuggets (2015-18), and Pistons (2018-21).
Nori, Chris Finch’s lead assistant in Minnesota, has been with the Wolves since 2021 and has become an increasingly popular name in coaching searches over recent years. This spring, he has been linked to the Bulls’ open position and there has been speculation he might become a candidate for the vacancy in Dallas as well.
Northwest Notes: Boozer, Lillard, Blazers Decisions, Hartenstein
Projected top-three draft pick Cameron Boozer has clear familial ties to the Jazz, who hold the second pick in the 2026 draft. His father, Carlos Boozer, spent six seasons in Utah, including his two All-Star years, and works with the team to this day in their scouting department.
Cameron was born in Salt Lake City, though he moved away before his fourth birthday, and he says that his conversations with his dad about following in his footsteps generally had more to do with Chicago than his hometown, Kevin Reynolds writes for the Salt Lake Tribune.
When it comes to the young power forward’s potential on-court fit with Utah, though, there are clear questions, as the Jazz already boast one of the larger frontcourts in the league, led by Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler. Boozer could fit in nicely as a big off the bench who can play alongside any of those other big men and focus on his play-making, which was a strength in college.
While Boozer views himself as the top talent in the draft, he said his focus is on getting to the place that will get the most out of him.
“Whether it is one, two, three or four, I want the best fit,” Boozer said. “I mean, it would be nice to play for a city that my dad played for. Obviously, Chicago (picking fourth overall) is another great city.”
We have more from around the Northwest Division:
- Damian Lillard‘s first season back with the Trail Blazers consisted of a three-point contest championship and a lot of mentoring from the bench. Next season, he is expected to return to the court, but not everyone is clear on what that will look like. “I don’t understand what he brings to the table, especially with [Jrue Holiday] and [Scoot Henderson] already on the roster,” one anonymous scout told Joe Freeman of Oregon Live. “You could say he brings shooting. Well, yeah, but how did he get his shots? With the ball in his hands. It didn’t work in Milwaukee. If he’s dominating the ball, is [Shaedon Sharpe] developing? Is Scoot developing?” Lillard, for his part, says that his time watching from the bench helped him understand exactly those questions: “I got an opportunity to learn my teammates. I’m going to be playing with these guys, and just seeing what might set them off, seeing what they’re doing when they play well, seeing where they might struggle, seeing where our team struggles, ways that I think we could improve.“
- The Trail Blazers have plenty of roster decisions to make this summer, starting with what to do with Henderson. Unless the former third overall pick is included in a deal for a star player, it would behoove the team to try to work out a reasonable contract extension with him, Sean Highkin writes in a player movement prediction article for the Rose Garden Report (subscriber link), citing Sharpe’s four-year, $90MM extension from last summer as a reasonable starting place for Henderson. Vit Krejci and Sidy Cissoko are strong candidates to stick around, while players like Robert Williams III and Matisse Thybulle are worth hanging onto but could also be more valued by other teams.
- Isaiah Hartenstein only played 12 minutes in the Thunder‘s Game 1 loss to the Spurs. Prior to Game 2, coach Mark Daigneault pulled the German big man aside and told him that he “didn’t feel great” about giving him so few minutes, Jenni Carlson writes for The Oklahoman. Hartenstein was unbothered, saying he’d do whatever was needed. In Game 2, what was needed was to take the lion’s share of minutes against Spurs star Victor Wembanyama. “The other night, [Wemby] just had way too much of the restricted (area), but if you zoom out, they turned the ball over a ton, we gave up 101 points in regulation,” Daigneault said. “The quality of shots were what we would want, other than his stuff at the rim.“
- Putting wings on Wembanyama in Game 1 created a shot diet in the paint that the Thunder coach felt was too sustainable, which is why he turned to Hartenstein to add physicality and size as a rim protector. In addition to helping hold the French superstar to just four rim attempts (compared to 17 in Game 1), Hartenstein added eight offensive rebounds and made sure Wembanyama felt him every time down the floor. “I thought he just did a good job of being physical, making him work all game,” Alex Caruso said. “Which ended up being beneficial for him on the glass late in the game. He cleaned that up offensively and defensively for us.”
Tiago Splitter A Finalist For Blazers’ Coaching Job
Despite initial reports indicating that interim head coach Tiago Splitter was unlikely to be retained by the Trail Blazers as they mount a comprehensive search for their head coach of the future, it appears the Brazilian incumbent has a genuine shot at the job. After Jake Fischer reported on Tuesday that Splitter was still a candidate for the position, Marc Stein of The Stein Line says (via Twitter) that he’s considered a finalist.
Splitter took over unexpectedly just one game into the season after Chauncey Billups was arrested as part of a federal probe into illegal gambling operations. He led Portland to a 42-39 finish, achieving both the team’s best regular season record and first playoff berth since the 2020/21 season.
Despite missing Damian Lillard for the entire season and expected starting point guard Scoot Henderson for the first 52 games of the year, the Blazers found success as a defensive-minded group built around first-time All-Star Deni Avdija‘s consistent rim pressure and play-making.
The Bulls have been rumored to have interest in interviewing Splitter for their head coach opening, but there was an expectation that they might be denied permission to speak to him if the Blazers are still seriously him for their own vacancy.
It was reported earlier that the team has also reached out to the Clippers for permission to interview Jeff Van Gundy, who is considered another finalist for the job.