Chandler Parsons slams Orlando for cutting ties with their defensive-minded leader, blaming roster injuries and management's high expectations for the shocking postseason exit against Detroit.
The Orlando Magic on Monday fired head coach Jamahl Mosley, ending his five-year tenure with the team after blowing a 3-1 lead to the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
After the firing, Chandler Parsons shared his thoughts on the firing and highly favored Jamahl Mosley’s position.
“Yeah. I mean, to be honest with you, the rumors were swirling for the, you know, the better half of this season,” Parsons said. “I think it's ignorant. I think it's short-sighted. I think obviously they didn't meet expectations in the regular season. And they kind of, you know, fell to an eight seed, and when we thought they were going to be in a close as high as, you know, a one to a four seed heading into the season, kind of what they gave us last year, returning everybody, signing Desmond Bane was exactly what they needed.”
Parsons blames a great portion of the season's failures on injuries.
“So I think going into this season,” Parsons added. “Part of the issue here was the expectation was high. Now, on the flip side, they dealt with a bunch of injuries. Again. You know, Paolo had his struggles, his inconsistencies, their second-best player, arguably their first best player, Wagner was out for most of this series. Jalen Suggs, who the GM gave 150 million not Jamahl Mosley. Was absolutely brutal this series, and you fired Jamahl Mosley, who is and it hurts me, because I personally know the guy. He's an unbelievable dude. He's a great coach. He's a great defensive mind, which I think you need nowadays, and an offensive minded NBA League. And it's just, it bothers me, it's there are 45 and 37 and again, they, I think they just took the one seed to seven games, and if they happen to win that game, what does? What then? Then they realize their potential, and they give them another chance, or at least go into next season with the understanding of, this is how we play, and this is how we compete, taking the Detroit Pistons, who were the best team all season in the Eastern Conference to seven games.
The final straw was blowing the 22-point lead against the Detroit Pistons in game six.
“I think Game Six really hurt him at home, getting blown out like that. I think that was kind of the icing on the cake of where this decision was ultimately made,” Parsons said. “But it's just a tough break. And now what now are you going to go on high higher, a fresh face and a guy that's never been a head coach before? Or are you gonna just do the NBA refundable thing, where you hire Bill Donovan, who just failed for the last whatever, years in Chicago, so let's give him another chance in Orlando. Like doesn't make sense to me. I hate it. I think he'll get another head coach job, because he's that type of dude in person. And I think if they would have given him just a little bit more time and next season, if they do this again, if they fail, fine. But I think doing this the night of or the day in the morning after losing game seven to a one seed, I think it's messed up.”
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