After a devastating playoff collapse and Jamahl Mosley’s firing, the Magic target high-profile leaders like Billy Donovan to transform their talented young core into championship contenders.
Following the Orlando Magic’s heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the Detroit Pistons, after leading the series 3-1, the organization has officially parted ways with head coach Jamahl Mosley. Despite three consecutive playoff appearances, the Magic failed to advance past the first round, leading President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman to seek a "fresh voice."
Here is a breakdown of the primary coaching candidates being discussed by CBS Sports to lead Orlando’s young core of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Desmond Bane:
The Favorite: Billy Donovan
Donovan famously accepted the Magic job in 2007 before reneging a day later to return to the Florida Gators. Despite the "awkward" history, he is the top target due to his Florida ties and history of success. Now the stars align for Donovan and the Magic.
"Billy Donovan also is a guy who wants to be part of a team that is already ready to win," Ashley Nicole Moss said. "He's not the guy who wants to get down in the mud and get dirty and build a team from the ground up. He didn't want to do it in OKC. He didn't want to do it in Chicago. And Orlando, luckily for him, is not in that same predicament."
The Pipe Dream: Steve Kerr
Championships and able to coach star talent. Kerr would transform Orlando's offense in ways that the franchise hasn't seen. The difficult part, it seems if Kerr isn't coaching Stephen Curry, he isn't coaching at all.
"Steve Kerr has already said it for me," Moss said. "He has verbatim said, and this was after the Golden State Warriors season came to an end, got to the podium and said, 'I will never coach anyone that is not named Steph Curry.' So, come on to Orlando, Steph... if he leaves, he is leaving to go fishing on a boat, not to coach another team."
Realistic But Unlikely: Tom Thibodeau
Thibodeau is a black horse addition for the Magic, while he has major playoff experience his hard nose style may not favor the starting lineup who struggles to stay on the court together.
"I don't think Tom Thibodeau would be a fit for Orlando," Moss added. "He plays a very old school style of basketball... he's a guy who is not somebody who's very flexible in the way that he approaches basketball in terms of roster, in terms of minute distribution... that starting five would just be respectfully ran into the ground."
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