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Orlando Magic Rumors: Orlando Magic ask permission to interview David Griffin

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Feb 18, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin talks with the media before the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 18, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin talks with the media before the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Orlando Magic’s search for a president of basketball operations continues with interviews on the horizon. The team is still waiting on its top target.

The Orlando Magic have asked permission of the Cleveland Cavaliers to interview their general manager David Griffin, but they have not gotten a response from owner Dan Gilbert, Adrian Wojnarowski of the Vertical reports.

The Magic seem ready to begin buckling down and getting serious about finding a new president of basketball operations with some interviews getting set on the schedule. But the connection with Griffin remains pretty strong. This is a rumor that has not gone away and does not seem to have any sense of slowing down.

That is unless the Cavaliers slow the wheels from churning. Griffin is under contract until the end of June. If the Magic want to interview him, they would require permission from the team to do so. Cleveland does not appear to have done this yet.

The Cavaliers have not played for 10 days ahead of Wednesday’s Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals. They did not seem to come any closer to a deal with their general manager, the architect who finally surrounded LeBron James with the roster he needed to break Cleveland’s championship curse.

According to Wojnarowski, Griffin is seeking a contract that is more financially competitive around the league. But the Cavaliers are not willing to come up to that price. Wojnarowski reports the Cavaliers have not made a substantial offer yet. This has left him in complete limbo.

There seems to be a negotiating game of chicken going on. Griffin is possibly using the open Magic job as leverage to get the contract he wants from the Cavaliers. While the Cavaliers are holding him hostage by not letting him discuss other openings to get him to relent and take less money.

Someone will likely blink first. And it may be the Magic if they feel they need someone in place before the June 22 NBA Draft and free agency on July 1. Meanwhile, interim general manager Matt Lloyd continues to run the franchise’s front office operations. It is largely expected at this point he will remain the team’s general manager if the new president of basketball operations elects to keep him on board.

Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic /

Orlando Magic

The Magic are waiting on Griffin, but the team is preparing to move forward with interviews soon, according to Wojnarowski.

Orlando appears set to interview Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond and former Minnesota Timberwolves executive and head coach Kevin McHale. Hammond has one year left on his deal. But the Bucks appear to have a succession plan in place that could allow him to leave a year early.

As the Magic’s draft preparations are preparing to ramp up, the team seems ready to move forward with its search for a new front office leader. That process has not stopped to handle the Draft.

But the team is still waiting. The rumors certainly seem to suggest Griffin is the Magic’s top target. The work he has done building a championship team around James and working against a bloated payroll and little cap room is not something to ignore.

Next: 2010 Orlando Magic prove Cleveland Cavaliers still have work to do

Slowly, but surely, the Magic are taking those steps to fill this much-needed position.