The initial thought when the Orlando Magic's schedule came out last week was that the start was going to be tricky.
Orlando has a road-heavy opening quarter of the season.
But they start with a run of Playoff teams -- the Atlanta Hawks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors (twice), followed by the Boston Celtics. They do not face a team that missed the Playoffs last year until the seventh game against the Washington Wizards (who should have a healthy Trae Young and Anthony Davis).
It is safe to say that Sean Sweeney and his team will need to hit the ground running. Especially if the team wants to take advantage of a more manageable and home-heavy finish.
The Magic have a lot of work to do to bring everything together. And one of the great mysteries facing this team is just what this team will look like under Sweeney.
A first-time coach brings a lot of mystery with him. He has a track record from other locations, but that was always operating under someone else's vision.
And a first-time head coach is managing rotations and the bigger picture for the first time.
The greatest risk of this season is not returning the same players and betting on internal growth and continuity. It is whether a first-time head coach can step up and lead a team that has so many expectations and so much pressure upon them.
The Magic announced the coaching staff back in July. It was a mix of some experienced coaches and player development coaches. But the team is still working to give Sweeney all the support he can get.
The latest comes in the form of a new consultant.
Former Michigan and Cleveland Cavaliers coach John Beilein announced he will be joining the Magic as a coaching consultant.
— John Beilein (@JohnBeilein) August 17, 2026
The coaching consultant position is being used more and more throughout the league. It is sort of a one foot in position.
Former Orlando Magic coach Steve Clifford served as a consultant for Phoenix Suns coach Jordan Ott last year (and will be doing the same for the Washington Wizards this season). The job is essentially to observe practices and be a sounding board for ideas and observations.
Beilein briefly worked with Sweeney when the two were with the Detroit Pistons, following Beilein's short-lived run as the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Beilein is not about to take over. He is not waiting in the wings should the Magic need an escape hatch. His job is to support a first-time coach and share an outside perspective.
That is what Sweeney needs as he enters his first season.
An experienced staff
Sean Sweeney has continued to add to his support staff and build his coaching staff even since Suer League began.
Two weeks ago, it was reported that the Orlando Magic hired Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Josh Broghamer. Broghamer was the Mavericks' Summer League coach last year and worked with Cooper Flagg pregame.
Broghamer is now listed on the Magic's official roster page.
That is a good add to a strong player development staff that includes former G-League head coaches D.J. Bakker and Mfon Udofia. It also includes former video coordinators and staffers like Riley Crean and Jacqlyn Poss.
But the front-of-bench coaches for Sweeney all have ample assistant coaching experience.
Joe Prunty was with the team last year and had been an interim coach in Milwaukee and Atlanta. He has been an assistant coach since 2001.
Greg Buckner became an assistant coach shortly after retiring fro playing in 2009. He was an associate head coach in stops with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks.
Popeye Jones has been an assistant coach since the 2007 season, three years after he retired from playing.
There may not be a premiere former NBA head coach on the staff, but this is an experienced NBA assistant coaching staff. They will need to be able to work together quickly to hit the ground running.
Adding an experienced head coach like John Beilein only adds that perspective for someone still feeling out his role. But this is a group of experienced coaches that will enter the season with the expectations of delivering a team that can compete at the highest levels.
All eyes are on Sweeney
Sean Sweeney will get something of a reprieve. The pressure is clearly on the players.
Orlando Magic ownership seems very excited about what Sean Sweeney can bring. Early reviews from players like Desmond Bane share that excitement about the effort Sweeney has put in to connect with players before camp. People around the league believe Sweeney is very ready to take the lead chair.
The offseason reviews have been good. And the Magic are tied to him long term. The players need to perform for him to keep going down this path.
But Orlando changed little after last season's frustration. The team is betting a lot on Sweeney.
The team does not know exactly how this will work. And a coaching change is an impactful and big thing -- Jeff Weltman said nothing affects a team more aside from acquiring a star player.
Sweeney will have a major impact on this season. This was a move the Magic have to get right. And nobody can tell whether this will work out.
Orlando is under a lot of pressure, considering its payroll and considering its draft position, to win immediately. That is not the typical situation that a rookie coach finds himself in. Sweeney must deliver this team deeper into the Playoffs. There is not much time for him to get comfortable.
Whatever help and guidance he can get will be beneficial.
But Sweeney has also clearly been preparing for this too. He is as aready as any assistant coach can be for this opportunity.
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