The Orlando Magic have found their new head coach. According to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, the Magic have reached a deal with Frank Vogel to become the team’s new bench boss.
The Orlando Magic have reached a deal in principle with Frank Vogel, the Orlando Sentinel has learned.
— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) May 19, 2016
The hiring would be a wonderful move by the Magic organization. The team was essentially abandoned by Scott Skiles, who surprisingly resigned as head coach earlier this month after admitting that he wasn’t a good fit for the team. Orlando clearly thought Skiles was their guy long-term, so landing a solid replacement for him was going to be tough. By hiring Vogel, they’ve actually upgraded the position and found a better fit.
Vogel became the best coach on the open market when the Indiana Pacers stunningly announced they weren’t re-signing him after his contract ran out. Vogel had coached in Indiana since 2010-2011, where the Pacers made the playoffs five of six seasons under his guidance, including two back-to-back Conference Finals in 2012-13 and 2013-14. Vogel is an elite defensive coach who had the habit of turning role players, such as Roy Hibbert and Lance Stephenson, into stars. While Vogel’s not an offensive wizard, he’s one of the game’s brightest defensive minds.
Orlando is also the perfect fit for Vogel as they’re an athletic team with plenty of defensive promise. Aaron Gordon, Elfrid Payton, and Victor Oladipo are all young, defensive-minded players. The Magic’s core also includes Mario Hezonja, Nikola Vucevic and the upcoming 11th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. They aren’t a team that needs a rebuild, they’ve gone through that. They need to take the next step towards the playoffs, and Vogel is exactly the right man to get them there.
The Magic did a good job making a bad situation great. Vogel is the perfect fit with the organization and should lead them into the playoffs sooner than later.
