Jamahl Mosley's Top Landing Spots in NBA After Being Fired by Magic Following Loss to Pistons

Another head coaching candidate has hit the market, as the Orlando Magic fired Jamahl Mosley on Monday after five seasons at the helm.

Mosley led the Magic to two Southeast Division titles and three straight playoff appearances, so he should be one of the top candidates this offseason for jobs that are open, and even ones that aren't.

After being fired by the Magic, Mosley's top landing spots include the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards.

New Orleans Pelicans

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While Mosley is freshly on the market, a landing spot for him might already be in the works.

NBA insider Jake Fischer previously reported that if the Magic chose to part ways with Mosley, the New Orleans Pelicans would target him as their next head coach. The Pelicans fired Willie Green after a 2-10 start to the 2025-26 season and finished the year with a 26-56 record.

The Pelicans have a young roster led by recent lottery picks Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears and 2019 No. 1 pick Zion Williamson. Veteran point guard Dejounte Murray returned from a torn Achilles and showed signs of his old self down the stretch of the season. Two-way wings Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones add even more depth.

During his time in Orlando, Mosley showed that he can bring the best out of a young group of players. He also developed 2022 No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero into a budding star, so he should be able to help revitalize Williamson's disappointing career.

The Pelicans' 2026 first-round pick belongs to the Atlanta Hawks, so they will have to look elsewhere to add talent to their roster. Still, if New Orleans lands Mosley, the team will have a better chance to emerge as a potential playoff contender next season.

Chicago Bulls

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The Bulls have an opening after head coach Billy Donovan opted to step down following a six-year tenure, and they will also be seeking new lead executives after firing executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley last month.

By joining Chicago, Mosley would be taking on a difficult rebuild. The Bulls have missed the playoffs in each of the last four seasons. They finished 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 31-51 record this year.

Chicago's roster lacks high-end talent, with point guard Josh Giddey leading the way. Swingman Matas Buzelis has the potential to be a future star, but he's yet to put it all together.

Help could be on the way for the Bulls, as they will have two picks in the top 15 in the 2026 NBA draft. B/R's Jonathan Wasserman predicted in his mock draft that they would select Arizona shooting guard Brayden Burries and Kentucky power forward Jayden Quaintance.

Mosley would surely be up to the challenge of leading Chicago back to prominence, and he could have a say in the team's draft decisions this summer.

Washington Wizards

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The Wizards actually don't have a job opening, as Brian Keefe remains their head coach for the time being. General manager Will Dawkins told reporters last month that he expects Keefe to stick around, saying, "I anticipate Brian to be here."

However, that was far from a ringing endorsement, and Mosley would undoubtedly be a major upgrade. Since taking over for Wes Unseld in January 2024, Keefe has a record of 43-160 as Washington's head coach. The team finished with the worst record in the league this year at 17-65.

While the Wizards have been mired in an everlasting rebuild, they have one of the most intriguing situations in the league.

A pair of in-season trades landed All-Stars Anthony Davis and Trae Young in the nation's capital, adding them to a strong crop of young talent that includes Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly and Tre Johnson. Wasserman predicted that the Wizards would have the No. 1 pick in this year's draft and use it to select BYU wing AJ Dybantsa.

Mosley certainly would be able to put the pieces together and help the Wizards quickly return to playoff contention. Washington would be wise to evaluate whether Keefe is the right person to keep leading the team, as it could lose out on the chance to add Mosley while he's on the open market.