With the Magic wrapping up another lost season, there’s a sense in Orlando that it could be the last one for coach Frank Vogel, writes Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel.
Vogel is 50-102 in nearly two full years with the Magic, operating against a background of change. The team replaced GM Rob Hennigan and cleared out several other members of the basketball operations department last summer. New team president Jeff Weltman and GM John Hammond may prefer to select their own coach this offseason.
Neither would comment about the situation to Robbins, but speculation has been growing as Orlando quickly fell out of contention after an 8-4 start. When they assumed their new jobs, Weltman and Hammond said they planned to make this a season of evaluation, both for the roster and the coaching staff. Vogel signed a four-year contract in the summer of 2016, but the fourth season is a team option that hasn’t been exercised.
Robbins notes that the Magic made two important personnel errors that summer that left Vogel with a flawed roster. They traded Victor Oladipo to the Thunder for Serge Ibaka, then gave a four-year, $68MM contract to Bismack Biyombo, giving Vogel an abundance of big men at a time when the league was embracing guard play. Aaron Gordon was forced to play out of position at small forward and never adapted to the position.
The Magic have been hit heavily by injuries this season, with first-round pick Jonathan Isaac missing 47 games and Terrence Ross sitting out 48. Injuries also cost them 23 games for Gordon, 13 for Evan Fournier and 24 for Nikola Vucevic. Vogel has been in a difficult position since he came to Orlando, but even if the front office understands that, it may not be enough to save his job.
Cant blame the coach when players are trash. Then they traded elfrid who is one of the better pgs in the league for some old sweat bands. Poor florida fans have no sports teams that know what they are doing.
Elfrid Payton is far from one of the better pgs in the league
In two years in Orlando Vogel has seen the departure of Oladipo(who has since become an All Star), Ibaka, and Payton. The league has added guys who don’t fit in the modern pace and space NBA in Biyombo and Isaac. Not to mention countless injuries to Vucevic, Gordon, and Ross. I don’t see how injuries and front office incompetence falls on him. Could see him and Steve Clifford(Hornets) swap places over the summer. Clifford has Orlando ties and Vogel has had success with small market teams(Indiana).
Vogel made Roy Hibbert an All-Star. He’s a defensive minded coach. He would do well with dwight Howard.
I’m a magic fan THOSE PLAYERS IN THE LOCKER ROOM ARE TRASH!!! Well 2 good players max
Can’t blame the coach in this case. They’ve made some bad deals and signings. There’s only so much he can do with that team.
It’s likely that oladipo wouldn’t of become an all star without the trade, like many other players. And the drafting and free agent signings seem to be counter to the teams style. If coach is making draft picks and signing free agents then he needs to go, but hard to fault a guy for playing the hand he’s dealt.