5 Orlando Magic Coaching Candidates to Calm their Storm

Orlando goes back on the coaching carousel, hoping the grass is greener by the end

Dec 4, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla (L) and assistant coach Sam Cassell (R) argue a call against the Washington Wizards in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic no longer have a Head Coach; they will need one by next season.

Could they hire a new coach as quickly as they fired their last one? After letting Jamahl Mosley go on a Monday less than 24 hours after the playoff run ended, the team could have their new voice by the end of the week.

If they wait for more playoff rounds to finish to increase the pool of coaches on teams still competing, Orlando may miss out on even more of the major players who have already came and went in the free agent coaching market, as the likes of Taylor Jenkins (Bucks) and Mike Malone (UNC) have moved onto greener pastures.

The Magic decided the grass must be greener with a new coach at the helm, so hopefully for Magic Fans sake, they find the right captain to commandeer this rocky ship through the fire storm of injuries, expectations, and team-building direction demands coming from every direction

What voices could help Orlando navigate these tough tides?

1. Steve Kerr

Apr 17, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) with forward Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr against the Phoenix Suns during the closing seconds of the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Steve Kerr is the obvious name that must be said off the top of any list.

If Orlando is metaphorically moving on from their Mark Jackson who built the defensive identity for a new voice to resonate with star players and take the offense to another level, then hiring the man who unlocked the Death Lineup Warriors is a good place to start to building your own Death Star at home.

4 Rings, 6 Finals Appearances, 63% W% in 12 seasons as an NBA Head Coach, and another 5 Rings as a player under the Phil Jackson Bulls and Gregg Popovich Spurs, while also being a former GM of the Phoenix Suns for good measure, hiring Steve Kerr would be a dream outcome for the Magic.

2. Sam Cassell

Mar 21, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz CEO Danny Ainge and Boston Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell greet before the game at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Sam Cassell is a bundle of laughs everywhere he goes, coming off as one of the most beloved figures in basketball, with everyone from players, coaches, to execs raving about him as a person and as a coach.

As a coach, Cassell is known for his offensive schemes, and has been an NBA assistant coach since 2008 for four different franchises – Wizards, Clippers, 76ers – and since 2023, the Celtics.

Cassell has three rings from his playing days and one from coaching with Boston; he played college ball at Florida State and ironically earned one championship ring as a part of those Hakeem Houston Rockets that swept Shaq & Penny's Magic back in 1995.

Cassell could be the fresh voice this Magic team needs to lighten the locker room's mood and find a way to bring better offensive balance to the equation.

3. Mike Budenholzer

Apr 13, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer watches the game during the fourth quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images | John Hefti-Imagn Images

After 11 years as an NBA head coach and another 17 as an Assistant NBA Coach, Budenholzer certainly has a resume that speaks for itself.

Navigating the Giannis Antetokounmpo Bucks to a championship in 2021, Coach bud spent years building a four-factors regular season behemoth in Milwaukee, just like he did in Atlanta before that.

Bud's ability to win the four factor margins and build an offensive system that shares the ball appropriately to maximize spacing and offensive efficiency in both Atlanta and Milwaukee are real reasons to believe he is the best choice for the job, if those goals align with the new direction this Orlando Magic franchise are hoping to follow.

.@StephNoh breaking down some of Billy Donovan's favorite plays for the Bulls like Pistol, Elbow Splits, Chin/Princeton and 5-Out sets pic.twitter.com/Mm7U6pp4aR

— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) November 1, 2024

4. Billy Donovan

Apr 10, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Mac McClung (5) talks with Chicago Bulls Head Coach Billy Donovan during the second half against the Orlando Magic at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Billy Donovan was already the Orlando Magic coach for a day once before, maybe this time he'll stick around longer after taking the job; at the moment, if Orlando were to hire someone this week, Donovan might just be the favorite.

Donovan is an excellent basketball coach and brilliant basketball mind who has famously won back-to-back national titles around the corner at University of Florida, while coaching up exciting modern offenses in Oklahoma City and Chicago for a decade at the NBA level.

Donovan likely has ties to this Magic organization, and is newly available after leaving the Bulls, making a meeting about a reunion all but certain. Donovan would likely give this offense a more efficient shot profile from his go-to 5-out sets, which would help the offense feel more modern.

5. Dusty Mays

Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, left, sits and laughs alongside head coach Dusty May and Yaxel Lendeborg during a celebration honoring the team’s NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026. | David Rodriguez Muñoz / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dusty Mays is a clear candidate for the Orlando Magic head coaching job.

Mays' recent success in the collegiate ranks speaks for itself, taking Florida Atlantic University to the Final Four in 2023, and now coming off a championship season at the University of Michigan.

Mays has shown to be great at developing players while finding ways to win, particularly through his ability to unlock players with size and playmaking skill in the frontcourt, from Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin two years ago to helping Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara see their draft stock rise to likely lottery picks and Morez Johnson looking like a late first-rounder in this class.

The Michigan-to-Magic pipeline and connections run deep, so Mays will be on Orlando's radar.

Yaxel Lendeborg chose Michigan over 2025 NBA Draft because scouts wanted 3&D Versatility

Now, versatility is his specialty

"235lb, 7'4" wingspan, high-volume 3pt shooter

How many people can you say that about in the world?" - @SBN_Ricky on 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 pic.twitter.com/Kb6yq8luEc

— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) April 14, 2026

Will the Magic strike while the iron's hot, while they have arguably the best job available on the market, with names like Billy Donovan, Sam Cassell, Mike Budenholzer, and Dusty Mays still available?

Will they wait to see if Steve Kerr is available, or other potential candidates still in the NBA Playoffs?

Time is ticking, let's see what Orlando's plan is to cool off this fire storm before stars demand out of Orlando the way they have every time the organization mishandles their talents.