Frank Vogel Reportedly Will Be Named Orlando Magic Head Coach

The Orlando Magic moved quickly to replace Scott Skiles and reportedly have found their next head coach.

Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reported that the Magic have agreed to a deal in principle with former Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel.

Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reported that J.B. Bickerstaff "made a strong impression" during his interview with the Magic on Wednesday, but ultimately the Magic weren't deterred in their pursuit of Vogel.

On Wednesday, ESPN's Marc Stein and Chris Broussard reported that the Magic were "optimistic" they'd land Vogel. Stein had reported earlier that Orlando was "high" on Vogel as a potential coaching option.

Vogel met with the Magic about their head coaching vacancy on May 16, according to Wojnarowski.

Stein reported that current Magic assistant coach Adrian Griffin also had a "real shot" at the head coaching job. 

Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders reported that the players were caught off guard by Skiles' departure:

Bobby Marks of The Vertical noted that the Orlando job was an attractive position to suitors:

Skiles spent just one year in charge of the Magic. He guided the team to a lackluster 35-47 record, missing the playoffs in the Eastern Conference by nine games. He had previously spent five years with the franchise as a player, starting in 1989.

The team posted a statement from the 52-year-old coach about his decision:

"

After much thought and careful consideration, I and I alone, have come to the conclusion that I am not the right head coach for this team. Therefore, effective immediately, I resign my position as head coach of the Orlando Magic. I realize this type of decision can cause much speculation. The reality though is in the first sentence. It is simple and true. Any other rumors are pure conjecture.

I sincerely apologize for any unintended consequences that may adversely affect anyone associated with this decision. The Magic are a world-class organization that employs world-class people. I wish them nothing but great success. I will always be thankful, especially to the DeVos family, for the opportunity.

"

He had previously accepted responsibility for the team's struggles after increasing expectations upon arriving one year ago, per Robbins.

"It was a frustrating year because I believed what I said when I got the job, and I told the players many times—in the locker room, in private—I believed there was a winning team in the locker room this year," Skiles said. "And we didn't get it done, and that responsibility is mine. I have to own that."

Now, he'll pass the task of getting the Magic back to the postseason on to Vogel. Orlando hasn't qualified for the playoffs since the 2011-12 campaign and last won a playoff series in 2009-10.

The roster features a promising group of young pieces, led by the likes of Nikola Vucevic, Victor Oladipo, Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon. The question is whether there's enough high-end talent to truly compete for championships in the years ahead.