The Orlando Magic are expected to hire San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Sean Sweeney to replace Jamahl Mosley, per ESPN. Mosley was dismissed earlier this month after Orlando lost in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs to the Detroit Pistons, blowing a 3-1 lead in the process.
Sweeney's Background
Sweeney has been a rising coach around the league and drew interest from the Chicago Bulls and Dallas Mavericks during this coaching cycle. He previously worked as an assistant with the Nets, Bucks, and Mavericks before joining the Spurs as an associate head coach this season.
Note: Sweeney will first finish out the season with the Spurs, who are preparing for Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals on Saturday.
Magic's Recent Struggles
The Magic suffered a disappointing first-round loss to the Pistons after looking like the team everyone expected them to be through the first half of the series. Their weaknesses caught up to them as the Pistons staged a comeback to advance to the next round.
Orlando hoped the postseason would give them more insight into whether a Paolo Banchero-Franz Wagner pairing could still work. However, Wagner missed the last three games of the series with an injury, leaving questions around this duo intact.
What Needs to Change
Beyond unlocking the full potential of the Banchero-Wagner duo, the Magic are in obvious need of a point guard to organize the offense. Sweeney has worked with some of the best guards in the league over his coaching career and can provide insight into what the Magic need at that position.
On defense, Sweeney's acumen ensures the Magic will remain amongst the best defensive teams in the league. Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama praised Sweeney after San Antonio's Game 1 win against the Thunder in the West Finals.
The offense is where the Magic have struggled and where Sweeney will need to make the biggest impact. Adding more shooting depth could help, but Sweeney will need to revolutionize an offensive unit that looked predictable at best this season.
Hiring Sweeney puts the Magic one step closer to becoming a more serious playoff contender next season. Now, they have to figure out where they can improve a roster that has some glaring weaknesses.