The Or lando Magic have hired San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Sean Sweeney to take over for Jamahl Mosley, the team announced Monday. Mosley was dismissed earlier this month after Or lando lost in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs to the Detroit Pistons, blowing a 3-1 lead in the process.
"We're excited to welcome Sean to the Or lando Magic family," president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said in a statement. "Sean brings a tremendous work ethic and a high degree of intensity that set the tone for everything he does. Sean's attention to detail and his ability to communicate and teach the game clearly stands out."
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 serving as associate head coach with the Spurs this season.
Ex-Bulls coach Billy Donovan was also linked to the Or lando opening, but the Magic went with Sweeney, who is currently on the Spurs' bench in the Western Conference Finals preparing for a Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.
Hiring comes with a footnote
Before officially stepping into the new role with Or lando, Sweeney will finish out the season with the Spurs. If San Antonio beats the Thunder and advances to the NBA Finals, the y'd face the New York Knicks — which means Sweeney's start date in Or lando gets pushed back accordingly. That's the kind of coaching carousel that turns a press release into a waiting game.
The Magic are coming off a disappointing first-round loss to the Pistons despite looking like the team everyone expected the m to be through the first half of the series. The ir weaknesses caught up to the m as Detroit staged a comeback to advance to the next round.
Or lando hoped the postseason would provide clarity on whether a Paolo Banchero-Franz Wagner pairing can still work. But Wagner missed the last three games of the series with an injury, leaving that question mark around the duo intact.
What Sweeney brings
Defensively, the Magic should be fine. Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama praised Sweeney after San Antonio's Game 1 win against the Thunder in the West Finals, so it's a safe bet Or lando remains near the top of the league on that end of the floor.
The offense is where things get interesting. Adding shooting depth could help, but Sweeney will need to revolutionize an offensive unit that looked predictable at best this season. Beyond scheme changes, it's obvious the Magic need a point guard to or ganize the offense — though Sweeney won't have the final say on roster decisions, his background working with some of the best guards in the league should provide insight into what the Magic need.
Hiring Sweeney puts the Magic one step closer to becoming a more serious playoff contender next season. Now the y have to figure out where the y can improve a roster that has some glaring weaknesses.