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Orlando Magic: 5 Best Candidates To Replace Scott Skiles As Head Coach

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 21, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Scott Skiles on the side line during the second quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 21, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Scott Skiles on the side line during the second quarter against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 8, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Ettore Messina gestures during the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Sleep Train Arena. The Kings won 95-92. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Ettore Messina

Magic general manager Rob Hennigan once worked for the San Antonio Spurs, so hiring the highly regarded Spurs assistant Ettore Messina could see Hennigan return to his roots, so to speak.

A four-time Euroleague champion, four-time Italian league champion and five-time Russian league champion as a head coach, Messina has also served as an assistant to Gregg Popovich since 2014. Known for being a harsher coach, Messina wouldn’t be too much of an adjustment for a Magic roster that’s used to a hard-ass like Skiles.

Messina is one of the league’s more well known assistant coaches who could make the leap to a head coaching position, and his overseas resume backs up his worth before you consider all he must have learned under Pop since coming to the NBA.

For a franchise that’s eager to return to the postseason, Messina has just the right amount of success, NBA experience and reputation to be a legitimate candidate if the front office actually considers him.

Next: No. 1

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