Sean Sweeney, Magic Reportedly Agree to HC Contract, Spurs Assistant Will Finish NBA Playoff Run

The Orlando Magic are looking to get over the first-round hump moving into the future, and they found the head coach they believe can help them do so.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Magic are finalizing an agreement with San Antonio Spurs associate coach Sean Sweeney to become their next head coach.

Sweeney will "finish the remainder of the postseason" with the Spurs before making his move to Orlando, Charania reported. Sweeney beat out former Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and Los Angeles Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy to land the job.

This comes after the Magic announced on May 4 they fired head coach Jamahl Mosley after they blew a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons. It marked the third consecutive year Orlando lost in the first round under Mosley.

"We're grateful to Jamahl for all he's done for the Orlando Magic," president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said at the time. "We appreciate his leadership and the positive contributions he made as head coach. While this was a difficult decision, we feel it's time for a new voice and fresh perspective. We wish Jamahl and his family nothing but the best."

Charania reported Weltman was expected to lead the search for the next coach after he signed a contract extension himself during the 2025-26 campaign.

Magic-Pistons Highlights

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There is a foundation in place for Sweeney in part because of the progress the Magic made under Mosley.

Orlando hired him ahead of the 2021-22 campaign after it went 21-51 the previous season. The team improved to 34-48 by Mosley's second season and then made the playoffs in his third.

Despite a first-round loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the future seemed bright with a foundation that included Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Wendell Carter Jr. Even when injuries limited Banchero to 46 games the following season, the Magic still made the playoffs but lost to the Boston Celtics in the opening round.

Expectations were higher in 2025-26 given the back-to-back playoff appearances and the acquisition of Desmond Bane, but the team was inconsistent on the way to a 45-37 record. Part of that could be explained by Wagner playing just 34 games because of injuries, and he again missed time during the team's first-round loss to the Pistons.

Had he been healthy, perhaps the Magic would not have blown the 3-1 lead and Mosley would still be the head coach.

Alas, that is not what unfolded, which means it is now up to Sweeney to help Orlando go from first-round exits to deep playoff runs. With the trio of Banchero, Wagner and Bane in place for the foreseeable future, finding that playoff success is certainly a possibility.