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Latest On Magic Coaching Search

May 17th, 2016 at 8:54pm CST by Luke Adams

8:54pm: Orlando interviewed Vogel on Monday, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. The scribe also confirms that team officials sat down with Griffin today. Vogel, who has also had discussions with the Grizzlies and Knicks, is “seriously interested” in the Magic’s vacant post, Wojnarowski relays. The Pacers went 250-181 in parts of six seasons under Vogel.

3:19pm: The Magic have conducted an interview with Adrian Griffin for their head coaching vacancy, reports Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. According to Robbins, the sitdown between Griffin and the Magic took place earlier today.

Griffin, 41, joined the Magic a year ago as the lead assistant on Scott Skiles‘ staff in Orlando. With Skiles having resigned from the head coaching position last week, Orlando is in the market for his replacement, and Griffin was one of several potential candidates mentioned in the wake of Skiles’ departure. Jeff Hornacek, Patrick Ewing, James Borrego, and Frank Vogel are among the others viewed as options for the Magic.

Before joining the Magic last summer, Griffin spent several years in Chicago as an assistant coach on Tom Thibodeau‘s staff. Griffin was promoted to lead assistant in 2013 and was viewed as a possible candidate to replace Thibodeau as the Bulls’ head coach, though that ultimately didn’t pan out.

Griffin has been considered a prime head coaching candidate around the NBA for the last few years, reportedly interviewing with the Blazers in 2012, the Pistons and twice with the Sixers in 2013, and the Jazz twice as well as the Cavs in 2014.

Victor Oladipo Changes Agents

May 17th, 2016 at 1:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Victor Oladipo has made a change to his representation, according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal, who reports (via Twitter) that the Magic guard has signed with CAA Sports agents Leon Rose and Mitch Nathan. Oladipo was previously represented by Raymond Brothers at IAM Sports and Entertainment.

Oladipo won’t be eligible for free agency this season, but July 1st will still be an important date for his contract situation. When the new league year begins, Oladipo will be eligible for a contract extension for the first time in his career. Assuming they don’t trade him, the Magic will have the opportunity to extend the 24-year-old’s contract anytime between July 1st and October 31st. If the two sides don’t work out a deal by that point, Oladipo will remain on track for restricted free agency in 2017.

Whether or not the Magic will push to work out an extension with Oladipo remains to be seen. The former second overall pick was the subject of at least one trade rumor back in February, and while his production has been steady over the last couple years, he hasn’t taken a big step forward through his first three seasons. Many of Oladipo’s 2015/16 numbers (16.0 PPG, .438 FG%, 4.8 RPG) were right in line with his career averages (15.9 PPG, .431 FG%, 4.4 RPG).

Oladipo will earn a salary worth about $6.55MM in 2016/17, and if he and the Magic don’t work out an extension this fall, he’d be in line for a qualifying offer in the neighborhood of $8.55MM next summer. The moves Orlando makes this July could signal whether the team still views Oladipo as a key long-term piece.

Although he hasn’t developed into a star player, Oladipo’s solid offensive contributions, along with his strong defense, should ensure that he’s well compensated when he eventually lands his next contract. CAA reps Rose and Nathan will now be tasked with negotiating that deal on their new client’s behalf.

Magic Met With Jakob Poeltl

May 16th, 2016 at 5:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Potential lottery pick Jakob Poeltl said during the combine that he has met with the Bucks, Magic, Hawks, and Spurs, in addition to his previously reported sitdowns with New Orleans and Boston (Twitter link via Zagoria). It sounds like all of those meetings were just interviews, so we’ll see in the coming weeks if Poeltl visits any of those teams – or others – for workouts.

Skiles' Contract Included Non-Compete Agreement

May 14th, 2016 at 2:56pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Scott Skiles has likely damaged his reputation around the league after resigning from his post as head coach of the Magic after one season, Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel writes. But even if another NBA team were interested in hiring Skiles, his contract with Orlando included a non-compete agreement that would prevent such a move for approximately two seasons, Schmitz notes. Thunder coach Billy Donovan had a similar arrangement with the team after he backed out of an agreement to coach Orlando in 2007, the scribe adds.

Magic To Contact Frank Vogel

May 13th, 2016 at 9:05pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Magic intend to contact former Pacers coach Frank Vogel regarding their head coaching vacancy, GM Rob Hennigan told Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. It’s unclear if Vogel would have any interest in joining Orlando, Robbins notes. Vogel, who was dismissed last by the Pacers last week, is reportedly the front-runner to take over for Dave Joerger with the Grizzlies and is also under consideration for the head coaching slots of the Rockets and Knicks. Orlando is scrambling to recover from former coach Scott Skiles‘ sudden resignation on Thursday.

“Sort of the fulcrum of what we’re looking for,” Hennigan said, “is someone who puts an emphasis on the defensive end of the floor, someone who puts an emphasis on player development and also someone who puts an emphasis on building lasting connections with the players on our roster.” The GM didn’t specifically say that description fit Vogel, but the coach certainly did well developing a young Indiana squad into an Eastern Conference contender during his time with the Pacers. Hennigan also added that the team will cast “a wide net” for candidates and that possible targets don’t necessarily have to have NBA assistant-coaching or head-coaching experience, which means college coaches may also be in the mix, Robbins writes.

This will be Hennigan’s third coaching search since taking over as GM in 2012, Robbins notes. When asked what he learned from his first pair of forays into the coaching market, Hennigan told the scribe, “The importance of really getting to know each candidate personally, first and foremost, and making sure that each candidate understands what we’re about as an organization and what our values are and what our vision is. And, then, of course, making sure we’re aligned philosophically as it relates to style of play and the type of character we want our team to exude on a daily basis.”

The Pacers went 250-181 in parts of six seasons under Vogel, who inherited the head coaching job, his first in the NBA, when the Pacers parted ways with Jim O’Brien in January of 2011. That record doesn’t include his postseason mark of 31-30, with Indiana making back-to-back conference finals under Vogel in 2013 and 2014.

Grizzlies Interview Patrick Ewing

May 13th, 2016 at 1:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Grizzlies interviewed Patrick Ewing for their head coaching vacancy Thursday, league sources told Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Ewing previously interviewed for the Kings job before it went to Dave Joerger, Berger notes, and he’s also a candidate for the Magic head coaching gig, as Berger reported earlier. The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski first identified Ewing as among those in the running for Memphis.

Ewing, a Hornets assistant, would seemingly signal a further commitment to the inside-oriented attack that’s defined the Grizzlies for the past several years. The 53-year-old Hall-of-Fame player has made no secret over the years of his strong desire to become a head coach, an endeavor that seems to have gained momentum this spring, given the interest from teams.

Former Pacers coach Frank Vogel is widely believed to be the front-runner for the Memphis job, as Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal wrote in a story about a meeting that took place this week between GM Chris Wallace and former Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins. Wallace has downplayed the significance of that rendezvous. The Grizzlies have reached out to Vogel’s representatives, and ex-Suns coach Jeff Hornacek, Spurs assistant Ettore Messina, Blazers assistant Nate Tibbets and Heat assistant David Fizdale are also among those on the team’s list of candidates, as Wojnarowski reported.

Magic Notes: Skiles, Hennigan, Draft

May 13th, 2016 at 12:31pm CST by Chuck Myron

Magic CEO Alex Martins said he tried to talk Scott Skiles into staying Thursday morning, when the coach resigned instead, tweets Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. The DeVos family, who own the Magic, and Martins are backers of Skiles, USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt notes, wondering whether GM Rob Hennigan was truly in charge of the decision to hire Skiles a year ago, despite the GM’s assertion Thursday that he was.

See more from Orlando after a surprising turn of events:

No coach can turn around the Magic if they don’t have a star player, Schmitz opines, believing the pressure falls on Hennigan to upgrade the roster as the team embarks on its third coaching search in Hennigan’s four-year tenure. The Sentinel’s Mike Bianchi concurs, calling Skiles’ hasty exit one of the darkest days in franchise history, given the coach’s longstanding ties to the team.
One Magic player said Skiles seemed “miserable” in the last few months of the season, and the coach has grown increasingly weary with the attitudes of NBA players, as The Vertical’s Chris Mannix hears. Ultimately, the coach’s resignation underscores the need for a tight bond between NBA coaches and front offices, Mannix believes.
Michigan State swingman Denzel Valentine and forward/center Deyonta Davis, Marquette power forward Henry Ellenson and Canadian prep school power forward Thon Maker are among the draft prospects the Magic have interviewed at this week’s combine, The Sentinel’s Josh Robbins reports.

Latest On Skiles Resignation; Draft Update

May 12th, 2016 at 7:38pm CST by Arthur Hill

Already fired three times in his NBA coaching career, Orlando resident Scott Skiles was concerned how it might impact his family if he met that fate with the Magic, says Adrian Wojnarowski in a video on The Vertical. Wojnarowski reports that some officials in the Magic organization were “livid” after Skiles announced his decision to resign from his post today after one season of a four-year contract. Others were relieved, saying “every day was a battle” with Skiles, who became less enamored with his roster as time went on.

Skiles was never a fan of point guard Elfrid Payton, according to Wojnarowski, which put him at odds with GM Rob Hennigan. Ownership and Magic CEO Alex Martins pushed hard to hire Skiles last summer in an effort to bring more discipline to the team, but he and Hennigan never meshed and their partnership was strained to the end.

The Magic have interviewed Kay Felder, a junior point guard out of Oakland, tweets Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Felder, who turned heads with his 44-inch vertical jump, said, “I never tested because I always felt I was a great leaper.” (Twitter link).

Magic Eye Vogel, Hornacek, Ewing, Griffin, Borrego

May 12th, 2016 at 3:38pm CST by Chuck Myron

3:38pm: Frank Vogel is also among the Magic candidates, Berger writes in an updated version of his story.

2:15pm: Jeff Hornacek, Patrick Ewing, Adrian Griffin and James Borrego have emerged as early candidates for the Magic coaching job, sources told Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. The position became open earlier today when Scott Skiles resigned.

Hornacek is in high demand, having interviewed Tuesday with the Rockets, and the Pacers are believed to be strongly considering him, too, Berger hears. The Grizzlies also reportedly have him on their list of candidates, one that includes Ewing, too. Griffin is a Magic assistant coach, while Ewing, currently a Hornets assistant, and Borrego, an assistant with the Spurs, are former Magic assistants. Borrego served as interim head coach for the Magic last season after they fired Jacque Vaughn. Hornacek impressed the Orlando brass when he interviewed in 2012 for the head coaching vacancy that went to Vaughn, Berger notes.

The Magic have yet to contact any candidates at this point, GM Rob Hennigan said minutes ago in a press conference to address Skiles’ resignation, tweets Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders. Hennigan and Magic CEO Alex Martins took a trip with Skiles late last month in part to alleviate the concerns the coach had about the franchise, and while Martins and Hennigan returned thinking they’d been successful in doing so, Skiles’ resignation today was a clear signal they weren’t, as Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel details. Hennigan said in the press conference that he didn’t think he and Skiles had a disconnect (Twitter link).

Skiles thinks the team struggled this season because the players are soft and lack a professional mindset, shortcomings he believes the Magic fostered because of an overemphasis on player development and lack of concern for winning in recent years, Robbins writes. Skiles was also upset that the Magic hadn’t picked up a team option on his contract, sources told Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (Twitter link), presumably referring to the option on the final season of the four-year contract he signed last spring.

Orlando hired Skiles just last year after also interviewing Clippers assistant Mike Woodson, former Warriors head coach Mark Jackson and Fred Hoiberg, who later took the Bulls head coaching job.

Draft Combine Updates: Thursday Afternoon

May 12th, 2016 at 1:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

The NBA draft combine began Wednesday and kicks into high gear today. The players have been measured, with the the NBA releasing the results on its website, and drills and five-on-five action will take place for willing participants. The general rule is this: The more highly regarded the prospect, the fewer combine events in which he takes part. Cameron Payne was the only eventual 2015 lottery pick who did any basketball activity at last year’s combine, notes Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link). Top-pick contender Ben Simmons is among those who are skipping the combine altogether, while lottery prospects Kris Dunn and Deyonta Davis will be limited participants, Givony and Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com report (Twitter links). Interviews with teams are a key part of the combine, as The Vertical’s Bobby Marks details, but teams don’t directly select the players they interview, as Marks explains.

Here’s more news on the draft:

Givony, writing for The Vertical, said the private workout Skal Labissiere had Wednesday was one of the best he’s ever seen. The big man from Kentucky also interviewed with the Sixers on Wednesday, a source told Jessica Camerato of CSN Philly (Twitter link).
Top-10 prospects Brandon Ingram, Buddy Hield and Jamal Murray are among those interviewing with the Celtics, reports Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald (Twitter link).
First-round prospect DeAndre’ Bembry will work out for the Sixers on Monday, reports Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). The small forward from St. Joseph’s met with the Nets on Wednesday, according to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link), and Bembry also interviewed with the Thunder, Wizards, Spurs, Pelicans and Knicks, Pompey adds (via Twitter).
St. Joseph’s power forward Isaiah Miles worked out for the Celtics this week and will do so for the Nets on May 19th, Pompey also reports. The Mavericks, Spurs, Rockets, Bucks and Knicks will also work him out, according to Pompey, who adds that he’ll interview with the Pacers and Wizards at the combine and previously interviewed with the Mavs, Spurs, Magic and Grizzlies at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, a showcase for seniors.
The Nets are among the teams working out Kentucky combo guard Isaiah Briscoe, sources tell Evan Daniels of Scout.com (Twitter link), who also echoes previous reports of his workouts with three other teams.
Oklahoma senior shooting guard Isaiah Cousins will work out Tuesday for the Pacers, Zagoria tweets.
Oakland University point guard Kay Felder met Wednesday with the Suns, Pelicans, Jazz, Nuggets, Cavaliers, Celtics and Nets, reports Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
Evansville center Egidijus Mockevicius will work out for the Nets, Bulls and Pacers, reports Daniel Allar of the Courier & Press (Twitter links). The Nuggets, Cavaliers and Magic are also interested in scheduling workouts with him, Allar adds.