Orlando Magic Rumors: Orlando Magic front office search narrows focus

The Orlando Magic have begun interviews for their vacant president of basketball operations position. Some names have emerged the Magic may be interested in.

Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins announced publicly to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel they had begun conducting interviews for their vacant president of basketball operations position on Wednesday. The team, he said, is still expected to wait out some candidates who are still involved with some Playoff team, but the process is well under way.

The early leaks involving the Magic seemed to focus on some “pie-in-the-sky” names, including former Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird. A lot of the focus has centered on Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin.

The Magic appear to still have a heavy interest in Griffin, whose contract expires at the end of the year. But, as the team said, they are moving forward with some other candidates.

While Martins did not tell Robbins any specific names, league sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com of a few names the team has looked into:

Most of these names are not surprises. Previous reports have already attached Kevin McHale and David Griffin to the open Magic job.

Previous shortlists had mentioned Toronto Raptors general manager Jeff Weltman. Weltman is the general manager beneath team president Masai Ujiri. A move to Orlando to be the team’s president of basketball operations would certainly be a promotion and give Weltman full control over the team’s decision making.

The Raptors are obviously an attractive team to model. Like the Magic, the Raptors built through the draft but never found a complete superstar. They took a bit of a risk in acquiring Kyle Lowry and staying patient with DeMar DeRozan. They were rewarded as the team blossomed into one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

Weltman came to Toronto in 2013 after serving as the assistant general manager for the Milwaukee Bucks and working for several other teams before that.

While Ujiri ultimately made the decision, Weltman was important to the team’s decision-making process.

If the Magic are looking for experience, which it appears they are with some of the names they are looking at, John Hammond is as experienced as they come.

Hammond has been the general manager for the Bucks since 2008. That would include a lot of ups and downs with the franchise. But he would be the general manager responsible for drafting Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Despite some strong seasons and quick recoveries, his Bucks teams have yet to win a Playoff series, although they seem on the right track. His inclusion on this list is a bit odd considering Milwaukee’s trajectory.

Hammond has one year left on his deal and appears to be grooming assistant general manager Justin Zanik to be his replacement, according to Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press (h/t Ti Windisch of Behind the Buck Pass).

It is possible Hammond could look for an earlier exit and would be willing to take on less day-to-day responsibilities as the president of basketball operations. It is a bit unclear whether the Bucks would even give the Magic permission to talk to Hammond considering he is still under contract.

This is possibly even an abbreviated list. What Stein reported may not be the full list of candidates the Magic are looking at or reviewing, or even who they plan to interview.

What this does show is the Magic are not wholly focused on Griffin, although he may still be the team’s top choice. They are moving forward and exploring other candidates. The team may buckle down and get serious after the second round ends. And the team may still wait out Griffin if his interest is real.

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Orlando is continuing its search for now.