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Report: Chauncey Billups spurns Orlando Magic coaching offer

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Feb 10, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Chauncey Billups (right) shakes hands with television and radio play by play announcer George Blaha during the halftime retirement ceremony in the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 10, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Chauncey Billups (right) shakes hands with television and radio play by play announcer George Blaha during the halftime retirement ceremony in the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
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According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, Chauncey Billups decided not to accept an offer to join Frank Vogel’s staff as his lead assistant.

As the Orlando Magic enter the stretch run for the NBA Draft, they still have some staffing work to do.

The Magic have yet to announce who will make up the bench next to new coach Frank Vogel and are working behind the scenes to hire a new staff. In all likelihood the team will announce the full staff at one time.

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The Magic though appear to have been rebuffed by one of their main targets to join Vogel’s staff.

Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports the Magic reached out to former Detroit Pistons champion and current ESPN broadcaster Chauncey Billups to fill the lead chair next to Vogel, even offering to make him one of the highest paid assistant coaches in the league. Billups though decided not to take this role and remain with ESPN.

Wojnarowski reports Billups is looking for a front-office job.

Judging by the way Billups played, he certainly seems to be a player suited to teach and be a coach. He is considered one of the best point guards of his era, helping lead the Detroit Pistons to six straight Eastern Conference Finals, including two Finals appearances and one championship.

He was always one of the most consistent players in the league. It is no wonder that teams would be interested him as an assistant coach, even without formal coaching experience.

Vogel has been left somewhat in a lurch when it comes to finding a coaching staff. Most of his staff elected to remain in Indiana and stay with Nate McMillan and the Pacers.

He pursued Adrian Griffin to stay on as the lead assistant, but Griffin ultimately elected to join Billy Donovan‘s staff in Oklahoma City. The status for the rest of the Orlando Magic’s staff — Monte Mathis, Conner Henry, Mario Elie, Jay Hernandez and LaRon Profit — is still uncertain.

It is expected Vogel will have a smaller staff of two assistant coaches, but it is possible he could have more along with player development coaches (the role Hernandez and Profit filled).

The Magic are pursuing other coaches though outside their tree.

Wojnarowski also reports the Magic are in “advanced talks” with former Minnesota assistant coach David Adelman. Adelman, the son of former Timberwolves head coach Rick Adelman, was not retained when Tom Thibodeau was hired and brought in his own staff.

Adelman was a player development coach with the Timberwolves since 2011, joining the team when his father became the head coach.

The Magic are piecing together a coaching staff.

It feels like it has been a long time for the Magic to have this completed. Last year after hiring Scott Skiles, the Magic did not announce their coaching staff until the Friday before the week leading into Summer League. There is still time before the Magic hit that point of the season.

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For now, it seems the team is focused more on preparing for the Draft before finalizing the coaching staff.