According to veteran NBA insider Marc Stein, Jeff Van Gundy has emerged as a top candidate for the Orlando Magic's head-coaching job. He is also reportedly in the running as the Portland Trail Blazers search for a bench boss.
Van Gundy was a senior consultant with the Boston Celtics during the 2023-24 campaign. That season ended with the franchise capturing Banner 18.
After that, he joined the Los Angeles Clippers as a member of Tyronn Lue's coaching staff. That's where he has spent the last two years. Now, he could help the Magic atone for a season that fell well short of their expectations.
Jeff Van Gundy matches what the Magic are looking for
Orlando reportedly wants an experienced head coach to fill its vacancy. That preference could lead to hiring a different former Celtic, Tom Thibodeau. While the former New York Knicks bench boss sat in the one chair more recently than Van Gundy, the latter also fits the bill.
The 64-year-old built a 430-318 record. Van Gundy spent seven years as the head coach of the Knicks. His tenure in the "Big Apple" includes a run to the NBA Finals in 1999. New York hasn't returned to that stage until now, where it awaits the winner of the slugfest between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs.
Van Gundy also spent four seasons as the head coach of the Houston Rockets. His second opportunity in that role was also the last time that he held that position. His stint there was from 2003-04 to 2006-07.
The Van Gundy name is, of course, a familiar one to Magic fans. His brother, Stan, was their head coach for five years. That included a trip to the NBA Finals in 2008-09. Orlando lost to the Los Angeles Lakers, as the latter franchise won its first of two consecutive titles.
For whoever replaces Jamahl Mosley, a significant question awaits. The organization could move forward with its current core. Paolo Banchero is 23. Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs are 24. Desmond Bane, the elder statesman of this group, is 27.
However, a summer after trading four unprotected first-round picks and one first-round pick swap for Bane, the Magic could take another home-run swing. That could come in the form of executing a deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Parting with a package of Banchero or Wagner, plus draft picks, to make that happen could backfire, though.
They would still have questions about a lack of shooting, granted, their roster reconfiguring might not be done at that point. And Orlando would be assuming the risks that come with acquiring a star in his 30s who would arrive in the Magic Kingdom with concerns about his durability.
Banchero and Wagner haven't proven they are an inseparable duo. Still, it could be better to see who else is available if one of them is on the table. And the best path forward could ultimately be remaining patient with them. Perhaps a new coach can help get more out of this promising young duo.
Whether that's the direction the Magic go or they push their chips further into the middle of the table, it's clear why they prefer to hire an experienced bench boss to guide them forward.
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