NBA Rumors: Scott Skiles Resigned From Orlando Magic, Might Join Indiana Pacers

NBA rumors are swirling around Scott Skiles. According to ESPN, he shocked the Orlando Magic today by announcing his resignation as the head coach. Apparently, Skiles felt that it was a mistake for him to sign on with the franchise. There’s also talk that he’s not pleased with the roster that the Magic have built. Interestingly enough, there are those that think that Skiles might be jockeying for the Indiana Pacers head coaching job that was recently made vacant.

When the Orlando Magic signed Scott Skiles to a long-term deal to become their new head coach, they were hoping that he would at least make it to the end of the pact. Skiles lasted just one season before he decided that he’d had enough of the Magic. There is talk that he actually wanted out of the situation much sooner, as he reportedly told general manager Rob Hennigan that it was a mistake for him to return to the NBA franchise that he once played for.

While making his resignation speech earlier today, Scott Skiles wanted everyone to know that he was the one that came to the decision. He stated that he was simply not the right coach for the Orlando Magic. The fact that he reiterated that statement has led many in the NBA to believe that Skiles is trying to protect his reputation so that he will be accepted by the fan base of the next franchise that he coaches.

Though it is not the biggest reason why Scott Skiles decided to resign, the belief is that he was upset with Rob Hennigan for not picking up the option on the final year of his contract. By doing that, the Orlando Magic would have had Skiles under contract until 2019. It’s interesting that Skiles wanted to stick around that long, because he was not pleased with some of the players on the roster.

Being a former point guard himself, Scott Skiles is very peculiar about players that play the position for him. The Orlando Magic have a young prospect in Elfrid Payton. There is talk that Skiles is not pleased with the style of play that Payton possesses. The former wants someone that is more of a traditional point guard. While the 22-year-old is a good passer and defender, Skiles needed someone that is more of a shooter.

An interesting name to keep in mind as a replacement for Scott Skiles is James Borrego. He was the interim head coach for the Orlando Magic after they fired Jacque Vaughn. Management didn’t give him the full-time job, but his stock in the NBA has risen tremendously after the work that he did as an assistant coach under Gregg Popovich for the San Antonio Spurs.

With Scott Skiles being from Indianapolis, his name was immediately linked to the Indiana Pacers job. Larry Bird fired Frank Vogel because the two of them could not agree on how to use Paul George. Bird also wanted the Pacers to play more uptempo. If Skiles was willing to utilize George as a power forward instead of a small forward, then Indiana could give him another chance to be a head coach in the NBA.

The divorce between Scott Skiles and the Orlando Magic came as a shock to many, including some within the franchise. However, if he ends up becoming the new head coach for the Indiana Pacers, then things will make a lot more sense. The Pacers have a much better chance of making the NBA Playoffs next season than the Magic. Skiles might prefer being in that situation instead.