The Orlando Magic are reportedly thinking big for their new general manager. They have expressed interest in Cleveland Cavaliers GM David Griffin.
The Orlando Magic are continuing their search for a new general manager. But they seem to be in no rush to make a hire. They dynamics of the search are multi-faceted as the team pares down to its favored candidates, with the help of executive search firm Korn Ferry.
Some favored candidates are likely to emerge and the team is going to chase after every option seemingly available to them.
That includes perhaps the surprise leading candidate — or at least the candidate that has had the most news written about him.
Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports the Magic are interested in pursuing Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin. Griffin’s contract expires at the end of the season and negotiations between him and the Cavaliers have stalled. LeBron James even publicly supported his team’s general manager earlier this month.
Griffin was the architect of the Cavaliers’ 2016 NBA Championship team. He has been the Cavaliers’ general manager since the 2014 season, overseeing the roster changes that helped secure LeBron James, acquire Kevin Love and find the role players to help them defeat the 73-win Golden State Warriors.
It would seem that something will get done between Griffin and the Cavaliers. But the uncertainty has opened the door for the Magic, the only team with an open general manager position, to sneak in and pursue him.
For now, the Magic seem willing to wait until after the Cavaliers are eliminated from the Playoffs to make a push for him. That could mean the Magic’s GM search extends past the Finals.
That could be something that happens anyway if the Magic’s interest in Warriors assistant general manager Travis Schlenk is legitimate.
This is the second report of the Magic’s interest in Griffin after Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reported the Magic had an interest in him earlier this week. That post seemed to be a compilation of an early shortlist that featured names of various assistant general managers and general managers working under a president of basketball operations on various Playoff teams.
It is still clearly early in the process for the team.
The Magic certainly would like someone who comes from a successful organization. They want someone who can share that experience in establishing his program and culture with the Magic. That was also the thought process in hiring Rob Hennigan five years ago.
Wojnarowski also reports the Magic are running into a potential other problem.
He reports other general managers and front office executives have been reluctant to make suggestions and recommendations to the Magic’s search in hopes the team seriously considers current interim general manager Matt Lloyd.
Lloyd is extremely well respected among other front office executives. The Magic said publicly they would consider Lloyd for the full-time job.
Next: Orlando Magic are still young and need time to grow
With the candidates the Magic appear to be after, they are not leaving any stone unturned and thinking pretty big it would seem. That may mean the Magic will patiently go through this process. And it is becoming more realistic the Magic will go through even as much as the NBA Draft without a new general manager fully in place.