NBA Rumors: Orlando Magic Close To Hiring Frank Vogel As Head Coach

NBA rumors are swirling around Frank Vogel. ESPN is reporting that he has already agreed to a deal with the Orlando Magic to become their next head coach. An official announcement from the franchise is expected soon.

If all goes as expected for the Orlando Magic, then Frank Vogel is going to be their head coach for at least the next four seasons. The franchise is reportedly forking over $22 million to make that happen. Vogel is being asked to take a very young roster and turn them into a competitive team in the NBA.

Last season, the Orlando Magic won 35 games and lost 47. The team needed to win another ten games to sneak into the NBA Playoffs with the eight and final seed in the Eastern Conference. If Frank Vogel can close that gap next season, then the Magic will get their money’s worth because the fan base desperately wants to see the postseason.

Before last season started, the Orlando Magic were hoping that Scott Skiles would be the head coach that could have led the team back to the NBA Playoffs. Unfortunately for the Magic, Skiles decided to walk away after just one season. He didn’t feel that Magic management could build him the right roster for success.

The Orlando Magic had to act fast since they wanted to make sure that Frank Vogel wasn’t going to be taken away from them by another team in the NBA. The Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, and New York Knicks were also interested in hiring Vogel. The Magic quickly negotiated a deal with the former Indiana Pacers head coach.

Frank Vogel and the Orlando Magic could be a great fit for one another. Vogel had the Magic at the top of his list, while Orlando wanted Vogel because he is a young head coach that emphasizes defense and can relate to the younger players in the NBA. The Magic wasn’t expecting to do another head coaching search so soon and Vogel was not expecting to be let go by the Indiana Pacers, but things worked out for both sides.

The Orlando Magic want to return to the NBA Playoffs, and they ended up with a head coach that has a tremendous track record of making it to the post season. In his six years with the Indiana Pacers, Frank Vogel guided the team past the regular season five times.

Hiring Frank Vogel is a great public relations move for the Orlando Magic. The fan base was deflated a bit when Scott Skiles abruptly resigned. Vogel was one of the hottest head coaching candidates available. Through social media, Magic fans have been rejoicing that their franchise has acquired the services of someone as respected as Vogel.

Defense is an area that Frank Vogel excels in. The Orlando Magic should benefit tremendously from that. With young players on the roster, teams can’t always manage to commit to that side of the ball. Many of them simply want to focus on scoring and creating highlights. Vogel had the Indiana Pacers in the top ten every season when it came to defensive efficiency.

Frank Vogel might have a familiar face on his coaching staff. Adrian Griffin is under contract with the Orlando Magic for a few more seasons. Griffin received head coaching consideration with the franchise. Griffin and Vogel worked together when the two of them were with the Boston Celtics. The Magic are hoping that Griffin sticks around as the associate head coach.

The Orlando Magic rebounded tremendously after losing Scott Skiles, and they might actually be better off with Frank Vogel as their head coach.