Orlando Magic: 5 candidates to replace Frank Vogel as head coach

1. Jerry Stackhouse

The previous four candidates would all be great choices to take over in Orlando. However, Basketball Insiders‘ Steve Kyler and Keith Smith of RealGM are indicating that Raptors 905 coach Jerry Stackhouse is the current frontrunner for the position.

Stackhouse came to the coaching ranks in 2015 after an 18-year NBA career and a short stint as a broadcaster. He spent a single season as an assistant with the Toronto Raptors. In 2016 he moved on to be the head man for their D-League affiliate. Stackhouse has managed to lead his team to the G League Finals in both of his seasons at the helm.

Raptors 905 won the title in 2017, taking down the Rio Grande Valley Vipers 2-1. In 2018, 905 returned, this time to face the Austin Spurs. The Spurs prevailed this time, sweeping them 2-0. With that much success in a short amount of time, it’s natural that Jerry Stackhouse is on the radar for almost every team in the league with a coaching opening.

In Orlando’s case, they want a player-development coach. Who better to bring in than one of the best coaches in the NBA’s developmental system?

It should also be noted that like Nick Nurse, Stackhouse’s time in the Raptors organization connects him with Magic president Jeff Weltman. That familiarity could make Stackhouse more willing to leave the culture in Toronto and try to start his own thing in Orlando.

If the Magic want Jerry Stackhouse, they will have to act fast. His ability to get so much out of his team in Mississauga in such a short amount of time makes him one of the hotter commodities on the coaching front.

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It’s admirable that the Orlando Magic want to do their due diligence for a move that is vital to the fortune of the franchise. However, the opportunity to bring in someone like Stackhouse may not be on the table for long.