Multiple reports came out after a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks seeming to confirm the inevitable: Jacque Vaughn‘s days as Orlando Magic coach are numbered.
Thursday’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks may not end up being the last straw. It may not end up being any straw, actually.
Fans’ frustrations over the Orlando Magic’s play has been present for years now — even through seasons apparently meant for tanking. It appears management is starting to share in those frustrations. It was unmistakeable to hear the boos coming down from the Amway Center rafters and the “Fire Jacque” shouts seemed to be coming much more frequently.
Even for this patient franchise, it appears to be running thin.
Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel reports the Magic are not guaranteeing Jacque Vaughn finishes the season. A high-ranking Magic source told Schmitz management is not happy at all with where the Magic are at and they will not settle for this team performance.
The Magic haven't ruled out making an in-season coaching change.
— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) January 30, 2015
ESPN scribe Chris Broussard, possibly piggy-backing off that report from the Orlando Sentinel, added that it was “on the verge” of happening. Broussard was not in Orlando for Thursday’s game while the Sentinel had their usual contingent at Amway Center.
Sources say reports out of Orlando that coach Jacque Vaughn is on verge of being fired are accurate
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) January 30, 2015
So when does that change come?
That part is very hard to tell. Orlando could easily see if Vaughn can light a fire under this team and right the ship in the coming days before the All-Star Break and make a decision then. It could come any day, for all we know. Or, as expected, the Magic could decide to let him finish out the season and then move on at the end of the year.
Unless Vaughn completely turns the team around though, it sounds like the writing is on the wall and this will be Vaughn’s last season as the Magic’s head coach. That is what a source described as close to the decision-making process told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
UPDATE: Wojnarowski reported Friday morning Vaughn will be the head coach for Saturday’s game against Dallas, but his future remains unclear beyond that. He might possibly have three games to save his job.
"Vaughn will not be replaced before Orlando meets Dallas on Saturday at Amway Arena, but his job security beyond the start of the two-game trip to Oklahoma City and San Antonio beginning on Monday is uncertain, league sources told Yahoo Sports."
There simply is not enough to gain by making a coaching change at this juncture. The Magic are not making a push for the Playoffs and their future head coach is not already on the staff. It would be done to light a fire under the team and provide a momentary jolt with a new voice that hopefully can last.
That appears to be worth it with how poorly the team is playing. It is clear to everyone this team should have more than 15 wins at this point and they have lost some games they probably should not have.
That has been the impetus for the discussions over change.
Vaughn, to his credit, is keeping his blinders on and trying to go about his job. Before Thursday’s game, Vaughn told Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel he is not letting the outside “noise” get to him:
"“I think overall as a coach you have to know that’s part of what you signed up for. If I made a cranberry muffin today, someone would complain about the cranberries are not organic, maybe. Or they came from somewhere where they shouldn’t have come from. They’re going to complain about everything in today’s world. That’s just a part of it, and I understand that. But what I do is I come to work every day, and my job is to try to get the most out of these guys, and that’s what I’m going to continue to try to do.”"
Who knows what will happen though?
Again, at this point it feels like a when with Jacque Vaughn, not an if. Especially if things continue as they have gone of late for the Magic.
For one thing though, at least one player is not willing to put the blame solely on Vaughn. This player is looking in the mirror as he told Schmitz on Thursday night:
"Asked if a coaching change needed to be made, one player told the Sentinel, “No. It’s not Jacque. He’s a good coach. It’s up to us the players to find a way.”"
The Magic next play Saturday against the Mavericks. Wins could be tough to come by. The next sub-.500 team the Magic face will be next Friday against the Lakers. The Magic could be riding a 10-game losing streak by that point.
Vaughn does not have to win to restore some faith in him. His team just has to play hard for him and show some fight and attention to detail. They cannot keep getting blown out from the start of games.
This season certainly has not gone how the team intended and someone is preparing to pay for that failure.