Orlando Magic Daily
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Orlando Magic Daily Mailbag Volume 30: New Beginnings

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 09: Jonathon Simmons #17 of the Orlando Magic dunks against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on December 9, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 09: Jonathon Simmons #17 of the Orlando Magic dunks against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on December 9, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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David Vanterpool, Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 10: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers talks to assistant coach David Vanterpool during the game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 10, 2016 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Pacers defeated the Trail Blazers 118-111. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

That would be everything right?

The Orlando Magic are probably not wholly focused on winning in 2019. Sorry to burst that bubble. But I think they are approaching this rebuild in a much different way than Rob Hennigan did back in 2012.

I get the feeling — and I have nothing to justify this feeling — that the Magic were determined to go through this two-year tanking process. I think that is ultimately why coaches like Quin Snyder passed on the job. Yes, Quin Snyder was a finalist before the team hired Jacque Vaughn.

I believe Snyder turned the job down because the Magic were kind of doggedly going to pursue this path where they tanked for two years to build high draft picks. Hennigan was going to try to copy the Oklahoma City Thunder’s rebuild exactly to a tee. And that meant two years without winning.

The Magic, like the Thunder, got the second and fourth pick. But Victor Oladipo and Aaron Gordon are not Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. So there you go.

That was one of the problems with Hennigan’s rebuild. It felt like he did not have much flexibility in how he wanted to build.

I do not believe Jeff Weltman and John Hammond will have that problem. I think that if the team succeeds before they anticipate, they will be willing to go all in with it or let it play out.

In other words, I think they want a coach that will push his team to win and make winning a priority, but a coach that will not make that the only thing. At least for the first few years.

The primary thing they are looking for is certainly player development. This will be a young team that will need a lot of growth. But they also need someone who will set a culture that will allow them to grow in a positive direction. That is the part that was missing under Hennigan, I believe.

So the Magic are looking for a coach who will develop players primarily. But winning is not something they want to shy away from. The Magic, I think, want a guy who will keep that ultimate goal in mind and build up to it.

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This is not a rebuild that I think the team will go blindly into it with a dogmatic plan. I think Weltman and Hammond will be a bit more pragmatic and flexible with their plan. They will not rush things or speed up their process.