Magic’s Jeff Weltman Discusses Sean Sweeney Hire
The Magic‘s recent decision to bring in Sean Sweeney as their next head coach marks the third coaching hire of president Jeff Weltman‘s nine-year tenure. This hiring process looked very different from previous ones due to the fact that Sweeney is currently in the midst of a playoff run as the lead assistant coach for the Finals-bound Spurs, Jason Beede writes for the Orlando Sentinel.
“I have to say, a huge thanks to the San Antonio organization because they really wanted to let Sean have every opportunity that he could to pursue a job that he really wanted,” Weltman said. “And so, they were really amenable. We had to work on off days and just make it work the best way that we could. It wasn’t optimum but we made it work. They were very cooperative cause they didn’t want to hold Sean back.”
According to Weltman, following the initial interview with the 41-year-old coach, the team moved quickly in pursuing next steps to bring him into the fold.
“The first thing that you notice with Sean is he has like a natural intensity about him,” Weltman said. “It’s not something that he has to try to put on or impress you with. It’s just there. He’s very locked in. His focus and his intensity I think underlies a lot of the way he delivers information (and) receives information.”
The Magic rose above the level of a bottom-10 offense for the first time in a decade this season under Jamahl Mosley, but still ranked just 18th while battling numerous injuries to key players throughout the season. Unfortunately, the defense also took a hit, falling to 13th after finishing in the top three in back-to-back years. Sweeney will be tasked with unlocking a more efficient offense while trying to get the defense back to an elite level.
Weltman emphasized that while expectations were raised this season, due in part to the offseason blockbuster trade for Desmond Bane, the team is still very young on the whole. The Magic are led by Paolo Banchero (23 years old), Franz Wagner (24), Jalen Suggs (24), and Bane, who represents the aged veteran at 27. They also have Tristan Da Silva (24), Anthony Black (22), and a trio of young, unproven players in Noah Penda (21), Jase Richardson (20), and Jett Howard (22).
Because of that, Weltman is still taking a long view on the team and its potential.
While Sweeney may be considered more of a defensive-minded coach, Weltman was clear in his belief that his new hire will be well-rounded and up for the task of streamlining the team’s offense.
“Sean’s been an offensive coach, too, so I don’t know how those tags get slapped on people,” Weltman said. “But a lot of it comes down to basic principles and teaching the game in a way that the players have to adhere to. And I think he’s had success doing that in the places that he’s been. Obviously, he’s never done it from the No. 1 seat. That’ll be a new experience for him. But again, when you put together the ingredients of those things that we talked about, plus his natural intensity, his integrity, his character and his work ethic — he is relentless — those ingredients are kind of what you hope for (that) could lead to being a real special coach.”
Stein’s Latest: Giannis, Magic, Braun, C. Johnson, Sixers
The Magic‘s decision to hire Sean Sweeney as their next head coach has led to increased speculation about Orlando potentially pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link), who says some people around the league already viewed the Magic as a possible suitor for the two-time MVP.
Antetokounmpo has a known affinity for Sweeney, a former Bucks assistant who spent four seasons with the Greek forward in Milwaukee. Stein writes that the two “worked closely” together.
As Stein observes, Sweeney isn’t Antetokounmpo’s only connection to the Magic, as senior advisor John Hammond selected the 31-year-old with the 15th overall pick in the 2015 draft. Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman still regularly contacts Hammond for advice, Stein reports.
League sources tell Stein that the Heat and Trail Blazers are “already in pursuit” of Antetokounmpo, with Miami considered a top trade contender for the nine-time All-NBA member.
There’s a growing belief around the league that Antetokounmpo’s future will be resolved in the next few weeks after owner Jimmy Haslam set a soft deadline of the NBA draft, Stein adds.
Here’s more from Stein’s latest rumor round-up:
- Rival teams are expecting the Nuggets to make Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson available in trade talks this summer, according to Stein. Denver has said re-signing restricted free agent Peyton Watson will be a priority this offseason and there’s technically nothing preventing the team from doing so while keeping its other higher-priced players, assuming ownership is willing to pay the luxury tax bill. However, the Nuggets project to be well over the second apron if they bring back the same group, with Braun and Johnson among their trade candidates. Johnson’s expiring $23.1MM contract is considered far more appealing than Braun’s five-year, $125MM rookie scale extension, which begins next season, Stein notes.
- One of the reasons the Nuggets prioritized a long-term deal with Braun last offseason is he’s “routinely described” as one of Nikola Jokic‘s favorite teammates, league sources tell Stein. Jokic has finished either first or second in MVP voting each of the past six seasons.
- Vice president of player personnel Prosper Karangwa is expected to remain with the Sixers after the team hired Mike Gansey as its new head of basketball operations, according to Stein, who previously linked Karangwa to the Lakers and Mavericks. Stein reiterates that 76ers assistant GM Jameer Nelson is expected to be promoted to GM and that current GM Elton Brand is considered likely to be offered a new role in Philadelphia.
Magic Fire Jamahl Mosley
9:39 am: The Magic have issued a press release formally announcing the move.
“We’re grateful to Jamahl for all he’s done for the Orlando Magic,” Weltman said. “We appreciate his leadership and the positive contributions he made as head coach. While this was a difficult decision, we feel it’s time for a new voice and fresh perspective. We wish Jamahl and his family nothing but the best.”
8:55 am: The Magic are making a coaching change following their first-round playoff loss to Detroit, having dismissed Jamahl Mosley after five seasons, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
Rumors that Mosley’s job was in jeopardy followed him all season as the team seemed to underachieve despite a talented roster. The Magic wound up as the eighth seed in the East at 45-37 and were eliminated in the first round for the third straight year. Orlando has been hampered by injuries to its star players over the past two seasons, but that consideration wasn’t enough to save Mosley.
Mosley, 47, took over as head coach in 2021 after spending 15 years as an assistant with Denver, Cleveland and Dallas. The Magic were in the midst of a rebuilding project during his first two seasons, which ended with 22 and 34 wins, but he turned them into a playoff team in 2023/24. However, he was never able to guide Orlando past the first round, losing in seven games to Cleveland in 2024, five games to Boston in 2025 and seven games to Detroit this season after squandering a 3-1 series lead.
There was speculation that Mosley would be dismissed at several points during the regular season, as expectations were high following an offseason trade for Desmond Bane. President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman chose to stick with Mosley, but rumors of an eventual change grew after the team slipped to the eighth seed by dropping its season finale to a Boston team that was playing with reserves and G Leaguers.
Those rumors intensified after a play-in loss to Philadelphia that forced the Magic to have to beat Charlotte just to reach the playoffs. They appeared poised for a major surprise after outplaying Detroit early in their series, but couldn’t hold on to a 24-point lead on Friday in a potential closeout game and lost by 22 points in Game 7. It’s not clear if beating the Pistons and reaching the second round would have been enough to save Mosley’s job.
Mosley finishes with a 189-221 regular season record in Orlando and a 7-12 mark in the playoffs.
Charania confirms a report from earlier this morning that Weltman received a contract extension during the season and will remain in place to lead the coaching search. Former Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has been identified as a prominent candidate, with Bucks associate head coach Darvin Ham and former Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau being mentioned as well. Michigan head coach Dusty May has also been raised as a possibility, but he’s expected to stay at the school after winning the national championship.
An immediate opportunity could be awaiting Mosley in the wake of his dismissal, with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reporting last month that he has “several admirers” in New Orleans. The Pelicans have begun the interview process, with four frontrunners already identified.
In addition to Orlando and New Orleans, coaching searches are currently ongoing in Chicago and Portland. Milwaukee made the first hiring of the offseason last week, taking Taylor Jenkins off the market.
Magic Won’t Replace Jeff Weltman After First-Round Loss
The Magic are expected to make changes to their roster and coaching staff after losing Game 7 in Detroit on Sunday, but president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman‘s job is safe, two sources tell Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Weltman reportedly signed an extension early in the season around the time that the team advanced to the semifinals of the NBA Cup.
Everything else appears to be on the table after another disappointing playoff run that saw Orlando lose in the first round for the third straight year. The Magic seemed to be on the way to upsetting the top-seeded Pistons after winning Game 1 in Detroit and taking a 3-1 series advantage, but they let a 24-point lead slip away in Game 6 and never recovered.
The first expected move is the dismissal of head coach Jamahl Mosley, who has been the target of rumors about his job security since the season began in October. Weltman opted to stick with Mosley even after some puzzling losses that led to a 45-37 record and the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, but the fifth-year coach may not survive this latest playoff ouster.
The Magic were hoping to become one of the East’s top teams after trading for Desmond Bane last summer, and management was very confident that they were headed in that direction with a healthy starting lineup, according to Robbins. The season took an unfortunate turn when Franz Wagner suffered a high ankle sprain on December 7 that sidelined him for most of the campaign.
Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs also missed time with injuries, meaning that the team’s preferred starting lineup was only available for 19 games. Robbins notes that Orlando outscored opponents by 11.6 points per 100 possessions when they were all on the court together and posted an elite defensive rating of 105.2 points per 100 possessions.
They were putting up similar numbers in the first round before Wagner suffered a right calf strain in Game 4 that knocked him out for the rest of the series. Robbins states that Wagner is the Magic’s best all-around player, and his absence created a huge hole for the team as it tried to close out Detroit. Mosley was using him as the primary defender on Pistons star Cade Cunningham, who shot just 42.4% from the field and 28.6% from three-point range while averaging 6.8 turnovers in the first four games of the series.
“When one of your best players goes down, it definitely changes a lot, especially a guy like Franz,” Wendell Carter Jr. said. “Franz’s IQ for the game, his will, his determination — he’s the ultimate competitor and one of the best teammates I’ve ever had. So, when he went down, it was tough, for sure. But we still gave ourself a chance even with him being out. I think we just drank the Kool-Aid. We were just right there.”
Robbins observes that Orlando’s defensive identity has come at the expense of outside shooting. Suggs, Banchero, Wagner and Anthony Black are all below-average three-point shooters for their positions, while Jett Howard, who was drafted in the first round in 2023 to help with shooting issues, never progressed enough defensively to earn the trust of the coaching staff.
Finding a traditional point guard to run the offense could be a priority for the summer, Robbins suggests. Wagner and Banchero handle most of the play-making duties, while Suggs is more of a defensive specialist who has struggled with turnovers and his outside shot. Tyus Jones was signed in free agency last summer, but he was disappointing on both ends of the court and the Magic traded him at the deadline to avoid the tax in a deal that cost them two second-round picks.
Banchero’s maximum extension will kick in next season, making the core of the roster even more expensive. Robbins points to Suggs, who has four years left on his contract, as a potential trade candidate, but notes that his injury history might limit his value.
While a roster shakeup could be necessary along with a coaching change, Robbins cautions that Orlando’s cap situation and reduced stock of draft picks after the Bane trade will limit its ability to make moves this offseason.
Magic’s Weltman Discusses Deadline, Injuries, Mosley, More
The Magic were projected to be among the contending teams in the Eastern Conference this season, but they’ve had an up-and-down year and currently sit in play-in territory at 26-24. Speaking on Thursday to reporters, including Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required), president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman acknowledged that he’s not satisfied with the season to this point.
“I don’t like the state of the team right now,” Weltman said. “We’re not playing well and I think it’s been a little while that we haven’t been playing well. I would imagine our fans our frustrated by the way we’re playing and I’m frustrated with them. I remain optimistic about the rest of the season and it’s on us to turn this thing around. There’s still over a third of the season left and we’re right in the thick of the race. We’ve got to get it done.”
Weltman could’ve taken a swing at the trade deadline in an effort to upgrade the roster, but the Magic gave up most of their most valuable draft assets in last summer’s deal for Desmond Bane. Their only move at this year’s deadline was trading point guard Tyus Jones and his $7MM expiring contract to Charlotte in order to get below the luxury tax line.
Weltman said the relatively quietly deadline wasn’t a result of a lack of aggressiveness, but that he and the front office didn’t want to make a move just for the sake of making the move. The veteran executive also pointed out that making any sort of meaningful trade would likely require breaking up Orlando’s core of Jalen Suggs, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr., and Bane, which the club isn’t looking to do.
“That core has been excellent when it’s been on the floor together,” Weltman said. “… So, for us to break up that core, it’s going to have to be a significant move. I will tell you, we had some substantive talks that I thought could have gone somewhere. Obviously they did not, they didn’t materialize but it wasn’t for a lack of pushing, for a lack of urgency. Our mission is to improve this team. We’re never taking a day off from that.”
Here are a few more notable quotes from Weltman, via Beede:
On the Magic’s recurring injury issues, which have carried over from last season to this one:
“It’s concerning. Every team has injuries, but it’s having these prolonged injuries. All I can say is, these are soft tissue injuries. What can you say? It’s the NBA and this is what happens sometimes. I do feel like we’re a little bit ‘Groundhog Day,’ with this season. The only thing is, I also think we’re better this year because we added Desmond Bane. So, I hate to keep saying it, but when this team has been healthy, it’s been really good.”
On whether Jamahl Mosley’s head coaching job is safe for the rest of the season:
(Orlando Sentinel story)
“Organizationally … Jamahl has our full support. And Jamahl’s our coach for the rest of the season. So, it’s not a matter of like — I know there’s a lot of chatter out there and stuff — it’s not one person. This is a basketball team, it’s a basketball organization and it’s a group effort. We’ve got to get better.
“I can tell you one thing, I know Mose is going home every night looking (at) himself in the mirror and not sleeping and trying to figure out how to do this thing and how to get us back on track. And I know the players are doing the same thing. There’s a lot of people that are frustrated and they care greatly about this. We feel the weight of the fans’ frustration. Let me say that. When I hear a lack of urgency or this and that, it’s like … I don’t sleep. I mean, we’ve got to get this thing right. And I’m confident that we will.”
On why 2024 addition Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and 2025 addition Jones saw their shooting percentages plummet in Orlando:
(Twitter link via Beede)
“We spent a lot of time on that. I don’t have an answer for that. … A lot of shooting, I say, comes from what kind of shots you can generate, for our team, through your defense and then roster stability, lineup stability. When you have the kind of crazy amount of lineups that we’ve had over the last couple of years through all these injuries, and then this year with the drop in our defensive effectiveness, I think those things feed in and they contribute.
“But I wish I had a better answer than that for you because at the end of the day, shooters got to make shots and… I don’t know why. I think some of those first two factors contribute to that. Tyus is a good shooter, he’s a good player. It just didn’t fit here.”
Southeast Notes: Richardson, Rozier, Hawks, Magic, Bridges
Injuries have been a season-long issue for the Heat, who may have lost two more players in Sunday’s game, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. MRIs are scheduled today for Josh Richardson and Terry Rozier, creating more potential challenges as coach Erik Spoelstra works to develop a consistent lineup.
Richardson fell to the court and grabbed his right shoulder early in the second quarter, according to Chiang. After being helped up, he headed to the locker room for an X-ray that came back negative. He was wearing a sling after the game.
“I felt my shoulder pop out on the floor and then pop back in when I was laying on the ground,” Richardson said. “So thank goodness for that. But I’ll know more (Monday).”
Rozier was hurt midway through the third quarter when he landed awkwardly on his right leg on an attempted layup. Trainers had to help him to the locker room as well.
Chiang points out that if Richardson and Rozier have to miss significant time, that leaves Tyler Herro and two-way player Alondes Williams as the only healthy guards on Miami’s roster.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Hawks general manager Landry Fields said signs of progress from the current roster convinced him to stand pat at the trade deadline, per Lauren Williams of The Journal-Constitution. Dejounte Murray was considered one of the top names on the market, but Fields believes there’s value in keeping the current team together. “We’ve seen an uptick with Onyeka (Okongwu),” he said. “We’ve seen an uptick with Jalen Johnson. We’ve seen an uptick with Saddiq Bey, and I can go right down the line even down to (the G League team in) College Park where, Kobe Bufkin is developing extremely well in that environment.”
- The same approach was taken by Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman, whose team was also quiet at the deadline despite having “lengthy conversations” with some teams, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. “We’re very happy with where we are right now from a big-picture standpoint,” Weltman said. “We weren’t going to be overly aggressive, we weren’t going to get out of our comfort zone and we certainly weren’t going to deviate from our plan.”
- Hornets forward Miles Bridges, whose name was involved in trade rumors over the last several weeks, is relieved that deadline speculation is finally over, notes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Bridges said several times that he prefers to stay in Charlotte and ultimately decided to use his veto power to reject any deal the team might have made. “This was my first year dealing with all that,” he said of the deadline rumors. “Me, I’m happy so I can just focus on the season and focus on trying to get us some wins.”
Raptors Notes: Barnes, Roster, Siakam, Young, Achiuwa
Raptors forward Scottie Barnes has playing his best pro basketball yet for Toronto this season, but the club still needs to determine how to maximize his unique skill set, opines Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.
Grange notes that Barnes has shown marked growth following an at-times disengaged sophomore season in 2022/23. Barnes’ multifaceted game and positional flexibility make him an intriguing young star in the making, albeit one who needs well-curated help to flourish.
“[His versatility] is good but at the same time it’s a problem because he has so many traits, so many things that he can do on a higher level,” head coach Darko Rajakovic said.
Through 15 games this season, Barnes is averaging 19.7 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.7 SPG and 1.3 BPG.
There’s more out of Toronto:
- Former Raptors GM Jeff Weltman was let out of his contract with Toronto in order to assume the mantle of Magic team president in 2017. In the intervening seasons, it’s become clear that Weltman is taking a lot of the lessons he learned under the tutelage of Raptors president Masai Ujiri to heart, writes Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca. Murphy sees several parallels between the constructions of both rosters. When drafting, both teams prioritize size and length, forgoing normal conceptions of position in favor of athletes with epic wingspans. That said, Eric Koreen of The Athletic opines that the Raptors’ forwards aren’t getting enough personnel help elsewhere from the front office.
- When the Raptors appeared to be slipping early in the 2023/24 season, All-Star power forward Pascal Siakam did his best to steer the club away from a possible return to the bad vibes of last year’s lottery team, writes Koreen in a separate piece. Siakam’s aggressive and prolific play has helped paper over some careless in-game errors from his teammates, Koreen notes.
- Raptors forwards Thaddeus Young and Precious Achiuwa are both questionable to play in Friday’s matchup against the Bulls, reports Murphy (Twitter link). Young has an illness, while Achiuwa is dealing with a knee injury.
Draft Notes: Magic, Sochan, Hardy, Daniels
While such comments typically produce eye rolls, president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman insists the Magic haven’t decided who they’ll take with the top overall pick, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
Weltman says “it’s still early in the process,” even though draft night is Thursday. “Dialogue is always ongoing,” Weltman said. “But, most importantly, we get to do what we want. That’s the real benefit of having the No. 1 pick.”
Orlando is expected to draft either Jabari Smith or Chet Holmgren.
We have more draft-related info:
- Baylor’s Jeremy Sochan attended the Wizards’ pre-draft workout on Monday but didn’t participate due to an injury, Josh Robbins of The Athletic tweets. Sochan sat out with a mild hamstring strain. Washington owns the No. 1o pick. Sochan is ranked No. 15 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
- G League Ignite guard Jaden Hardy, ranked No. 22 by ESPN, worked out for the Sixers on Monday, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. St. Joseph’s forward Jordan Hall, Delaware guard Kevin Anderson, Alabama guard Keon Ellis, Baylor wing Kendall Brown and UNLV shooting guard Bryce Hamilton joined him, Pompey adds in another tweet. Philadelphia owns the No. 23 pick.
- G League Ignite guard Dyson Daniels cancelled a visit with the Kings after receiving a green room invitation, Sean Cunningham of KTXL tweets. Daniels is ranked No. 6 by ESPN. Daniels is the second-ranked point guard behind Jaden Ivey, who revealed that he hasn’t had contact with the team holding the No. 4 pick.
Magic Notes: Draft, No. 1 Pick, Mosley, Weltman
By securing the No. 1 pick in this year’s NBA draft, the Magic may finally get the impactful big man they’ve been searching for, Zach Kram writes for The Ringer. Orlando has taken chances on young frontcourt players in recent years, drafting Jonathan Isaac sixth overall in 2017, Mohamed Bamba sixth in 2018 and trading for Wendell Carter Jr. in 2021.
To this point, Isaac, Bamba and Carter haven’t been game-changers, though all of them are still 24 years old or younger. Orlando will select first in the draft, likely choosing from a consensus top three in Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith Jr. and Paolo Banchero, all of whom are power forwards or centers.
Outside of their big men, the Magic also have young players Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, R.J. Hampton, Chuma Okeke and Franz Wagner. The team is clearly trying to figure out the best combination for the future, a group that could be headlined by this year’s No. 1 pick.
Here are some other notes from Orlando:
- Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel examines who the Magic should draft as they continue their rebuild, specifically with the top selection. The team is coming off a 22-60 season, which was the worst record in the Eastern Conference and the second-worst record in the league.
- Mike Vorkonuv of The Athletic takes an in-depth look at the night of the draft lottery, which awarded the Magic the No. 1 pick. President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman was originally supposed to represent the Magic on the lottery stage, but was replaced by Jamahl Mosley because the head coach “felt lucky.” As it turns out, Mosley had good reason to feel lucky.
- By securing the top pick, the Magic put the decade-long “Dwightmare” to an end, Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel opines. Bianchi, referring to former Magic center Dwight Howard, explores how Orlando hasn’t received a No. 1 selection since drafting Howard in 2004. Howard had six All-Star seasons in a Magic uniform, with perhaps his best coming in 2010/11 (22.9 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game). The Magic also haven’t won 50 games since then, which was one of the last years Howard played with the team.
Magic Extend Execs Jeff Weltman, John Hammond Through 2026
The Magic have signed president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and general manager John Hammond to contract extensions that run through the 2025/26 season, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Weltman and Hammond took the reins in Orlando’s front office during the spring of 2017, after the club parted ways with former GM Rob Hennigan.
Since then, the Magic have a record of just 128-222 (.366), with a single winning season in 2018/19 (42-40). The team made the playoffs twice, but was eliminated in the first round by a 4-1 margin in both 2019 and 2020.
Although that résumé doesn’t look particularly impressive on paper, Wojnarowski says (via Twitter) that team ownership is pleased with the direction of the Magic’s rebuild following last season’s decision to blow up the roster by trading veterans Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, and Evan Fournier.
Since then, Orlando has hired a new head coach (Jamahl Mosley) and drafted two promising young prospects in the 2021 lottery: Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner. Additionally, 2020 first-rounder Cole Anthony has taken a major step forward, averaging 19.9 PPG through his first 27 games this season, and the Magic are owed two first-round picks and five second-rounders by 2027, having hung onto all of their own draft picks.
The club also should get former lottery picks Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac back from ACL tears at some point this season, and is in a great position to land another top-five pick in 2022 — the Magic’s 7-34 record puts them atop this season’s “reverse standings.”