USA TODAY Sports-Isaiah J. Downing
In his two-plus years as the Orlando Magic head coach, Jacque Vaughn has compiled a 58-152 record, so it comes as no surprise to learn the team is on the brink of firing the former point guard.
The Magic have one of the youngest teams in the NBA with emerging stars Nikola Vucevic and Victor Oladipo. 19-year-old Aaron Gordon and 20-year-old Elfrid Payton were the No. 4 and 10 picks respectively in the 2014 draft, and they are the players the Magic will need to develop in a hurry if they want their rebuild to end anytime soon.
Sources say reports out of Orlando that coach Jacque Vaughn is on verge of being fired are accurate
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) January 30, 2015
With ESPN’s Chris Broussard tweeting the Magic are close to relieving Vaughn from his coaching duties, it’s evident the team doesn’t believe he’s the man to help grow their young talent. So who is Orlando zeroing in on as his replacement?
Sources: 2 names to watch for the Orlando job – Scott Skiles & Mark Jackson
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) January 30, 2015
Scott Skiles is a 13-year coaching veteran who played five seasons with the Magic during his point guard-playing days in the early 1990s. The 50-year-old most recently coached the Milwaukee Bucks from 2009-2013, a job he resigned from after 32 games during the 2012-13 season. Although he’s compiled a winning record of 443-433 over his coaching career with the Bucks, Phoenix Suns and Chicago Bulls, Skiles’ teams have managed to win just one playoff series during his 13 years as a coach.
Mark Jackson was fired as the Golden State Warriors‘ head coach this past offseason after three successful years at the helm. The popular ESPN broadcaster led the Warriors to the second round of the playoffs in 2013, and in 2014 guided Golden State to their first 50-plus win season since 1994. Despite being the franchise’s most successful coach in a couple of decades, Warriors management parted ways with Jackson due to a souring relationship.
If Jackson is willing to take on this difficult rebuilding task, he’s the right man for the job. He has proven he can win as a head coach, and his players in Golden State absolutely loved playing for him. Few men in basketball can motivate NBA players like Jackson was able to do with the Warriors, and he’s the perfect type of coach to lead an extremely young team like the Magic.
