NBA Rumors: Orlando Magic Hiring Patrick Ewing From Charlotte Hornets

NBA rumors are swirling around Patrick Ewing. The legendary New York Knicks center has been quite vocal about wanting to become a head coach for the very first time. He’s been waiting a long time for his chance. It might finally be happening for Ewing. According to CBS Sports, the Orlando Magic are interviewing the former Georgetown Hoyas star. Since he has a history with the franchise, Ewing may have a very good chance at getting the job.

Right now, Patrick Ewing is an assistant coach for the Charlotte Hornets. After years of battling Michael Jordan in the NBA, the 53-year-old is now working for his former foe. Ewing has a long history with Hornets head coach Steve Clifford. His name is being thrown around the National Basketball Association as a possible candidate to become a head coach. Ewing has been an assistant coach since the Washington Wizards gave him his first chance in 2002.

From 2007 until 2012, Patrick Ewing worked for the Orlando Magic. He was an assistant coach under Stan Van Gundy. Steve Clifford was on that staff as well. The bond built there led Clifford to hiring Ewing onto his staff when the Charlotte Hornets made him their new head coach. Ewing already knows a lot of people in the Magic organization. That might give him the edge over other NBA coaches that have no connection with Orlando.

If hired by the Orlando Magic, Patrick Ewing will inherit a roster filled with athletes who have a lot of potential. Orlando has several lottery picks because they have missed the NBA Playoffs for four consecutive seasons. Brandon Jennings, Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo, Evan Fournier, Mario Hezonga, Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Vucevic would be appealing to potential head coaches. If someone can figure out how to get them to gel, that’s a group that can scare the National Basketball Association.

As one of the best centers in the history of the NBA, Patrick Ewing has much knowledge to impart one of the current big men in the league. Nikola Vucevic has shown plenty of potential. The 25-year-old from Switzerland could be quite the pupil for Ewing. Vucevic has been attempting to expand his range. Ewing happens to be one of the better shooting centers of his era.

Hiring Patrick Ewing as their new head coach might enable the Orlando Magic to lure Dwight Howard back to the franchise. The Houston Rockets center is expected to opt out of his contract this summer. The salary cap in the NBA is increasing tremendously, so Howard is going to try to capitalize at least one last time before retirement. Howard and Ewing have a good relationship because of the time that they spent together with the Magic.

Earlier in the month, Patrick Ewing was hopeful that he would finally get his chance to be a head coach in the NBA. The Sacramento Kings predictably fired George Karl as head coach. He simply could not get along with star center DeMarcus Cousins. General manager Vlade Divac decided to interview Ewing because he thought that Ewing could have been a good mentor for Cousins. Unfortunately for Ewing, the Kings opted to go with former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger instead.

There’s been several assistant coaches in the NBA that have never been given a chance at being the head coach. Patrick Ewing is hoping that he does not remain in that group forever. He wants to prove that he can be successful in the National Basketball Association as a coach after conquering the court as a player. While he’s happy to be involved in the game, Ewing may feel a void in his career if that chance never comes.