There was likely nothing Jacque Vaughn could do to salvage his job in the week since whispers emerged that the Orlando Magic were close to letting him go. Still, his team’s 0-4 record likely made the decision that much easier for GM Rob Hennigan and company. According to Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, the Magic fired Vaughn on Thursday.
The Orlando Magic have fired coach Jacque Vaughn, league sources told Yahoo Sports. Vaughn, 39, was informed of the decision on Thursday in Orlando.
The players will be informed at a meeting at 1 p.m. EST, sources told Yahoo.
Orlando has lost 10 straight games after mid-January wins over the Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets gave their season a last gasp of momentum. But it’s been gone ever since, and Vaughn’s firing became a question of ‘when’ as opposed to ‘if’ upon team sources leaking the front office’s extreme displeasure with his performance last week.
Wojnarowksi says that assistant James Borrego will be interim head coach. Also of crucial note is his report that Scott Skiles – former Magic player and coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls known for his defense-first principles and demanding demeanor – is a realistic option as Vaughn’s permanent successor:
Sources: Real chance Orlando makes move for a new head coach during extended All-Star break, and Scott Skiles is a prominent candidate.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 5, 2015
We’ll keep you updated as news of Orlando’s coaching search develops.
What do you think?
Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.
Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.
