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Frank Vogel will be Orlando Magic’s first offseason decision

By Philip Rossman-Reich

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: Head coach Frank Vogel of the Orlando Magic looks on from the side line during the second half of the NBA game between the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on March 10, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. The Clippers defeated the Magic 113-105. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: Head coach Frank Vogel of the Orlando Magic looks on from the side line during the second half of the NBA game between the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on March 10, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. The Clippers defeated the Magic 113-105. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /
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The Orlando Magic are at a crossroads this summer. It is clear they need change everywhere. That includes an examination of coach Frank Vogel.

Whenever a team is at the bottom of the standings, it has to evaluate everything and consider change. Seasons rarely go this bad on purpose. And the Orlando Magic certainly did not want their season to go this way.

Yes, way back in October, the Magic had at least moderate Playoff ambitions. No one would out and out say Playoffs were the goal, but they hoped they would be good enough to play competitive games. With how the Magic’s schedule ends — six of the remaining 10 games are at home and only three are against Playoff opponents — they thought maybe they could be making a run at this point.

Instead, injuries have derailed the season and thrown everything into flux. Orlando’s future is not the brightest in the world. And this season has turned into something that is a bit lost.

President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said he would take this time to evaluate the roster and the players he had already in the fold. His first year in charge would be one with little movement — he did not have the cap room to do so, and will not have it again this summer — and a lot of trying to understand what the Magic have to work with.

The summer will be the time to make moves and direct the Magic down a path that is a bit more certain.

The players are certainly under the microscope after six years of frustrating play. It feels like this group has reached its cap. And so the question becomes who stays.

That goes for every part of the organization. It feels like the only thing certain to remain constant on the roster is Jonathan Isaac. Weltman will have his work cut out for him to remake the roster.

But his first decision is with coach Frank Vogel.

It is impossible not to point to the coach when a season goes so far off the rails. The Magic’s 8-4 start is long in the rearview mirror. The team has settled in with the third or fourth-worst record. Vogel’s performance is certainly under the microscope and part of those evaluations.

And rumors of his eventual dismissal from the team have only grown. Initial reporting from Mitch Lawrence of The Sporting News were seemingly confirmed in a recent post from Marc Stein of the New York Times. And both reporters suggested the Magic could chase after Jerry Stackhouse to replace Vogel. Stein added two more Toronto Raptors assistants — Rex Kalamian and Nick Nurse.

They still have to make that first decision first though. That is, they have to decide whether they will keep Vogel first.

Who knows what they actually want to do. But rumors the Magic might move on have persisted for several months. And where there is some smoke there is some fire.

I still do not know what direction the Magic will head. It is not clear to me what the Magic want to do or what they should do at this point.

But with each loss, it gets harder and harder not to justify a change.

On an episode of Open Mike this week, Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel had me on to assess where the Magic are at in terms of their coach and whether the team will keep Vogel or let him go after the season ends.

It is hard to say whether the Magic’s struggles this year fall on the coach. Undoubtedly, some of it does. Everyone has their share of the blame in this season going so far south. Vogel deserves plenty of critique and examination.

And Jeff Weltman and John Hammond should make this examination and evaluation during the summer. Orlando cannot afford not to.

What direction the team goes is still up in the air. That much is clear.

Next: March Madness: Prospects to watch this weekend

And the first decision this summer for the Magic will have to do with their coach.