Orlando Magic Hire Jacque Vaughn as New Head Coach
Most headlines coming from the Orlando Magic have been focused on Dwight Howard, but the team has finally made news of a different kind, as it has hired Jacque Vaughn as its new head coach.
Ken Berger of CBS Sports reports via Twitter that league sources have confirmed the hire and will announce it in a news conference on Monday.
"League sources confirm @JoshuaBRobbins report that the Magic have hired Jacque Vaughn as their next head coach.
— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) July 28, 2012"
The Magic have also announced the hiring on the team's official website.
Vaughn was an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs for the past three seasons. This followed a long playing career as a role player on multiple teams, including the Magic in 2002-2003. He was also in San Antonio when current Orlando general manager Rob Hennigan was on the staff.
He beat out finalists Michael Curry from the Philadelphia 76ers and Lindsey Hunter of the Phoenix Suns for the job.
What This Means
The Orlando Magic are definitely looking to enter rebuilding mode, and they seem to have found the right man for the job.
Vaughn was among the youngest of the potential candidates, and he is not far removed from the game. This will allow him to form better relationships with the players as they become acclimated to the NBA.
In a release announcing the hiring, Hennigan said of Vaughn, "His commitment and passion to building a sustainable program will help steer our organization for years to come."
It is clear the Magic are looking for someone to help for the long haul, and they appear to have made a good choice.
What Comes Next
The next step for the Magic has to be to find a way to trade Dwight Howard. A new coach cannot come into a locker room and run the team effectively if the star player does not want to be there.
Since Howard has said multiple times that he will not stay with Orlando following the season, the team must cut its losses and accept whatever package is available to get him out of town.
At that point, Vaughn can come in with a fresh team and run it the way he wants.
The Magic will not be contenders next season, but there finally is some positive news to show that the future is bright.
