Mapping out Jamahl Mosley's path to winning Coach of the Year next season

Jamahl Mosley was a big part of the Magic's success last season. He has done great work, turning his young team into a defensive juggernaut and getting everyone to commit to their role. As a result, he was one of the top candidates to win Coach of the Year last season. 

Mark Daigneault, who led the Oklahoma City Thunder to be the youngest number-one seed in NBA history, ultimately secured the award, and deservedly so. Mosley finished second, but that does not mean his chances to win the award are lost. He should be one of the top candidates to win Coach of the Year again in the 2024-25 season. 

While he ranked tenth in ESPN's latest award predictions, most betting odds have him as the favorite next to Boston's Joe Mazzulla. So, how could Mosley secure the award next season? 

Mosley has to help the Magic become a better two-way team 

Last season, the Coach of the Year award went to the coach who led his young team well past expectations and made history as the youngest number-one seed in league history. Mosley and the Magic could do something similar, though not quite as impressive, in 2024-25. 

The Thunder are a few steps ahead of the Magic, but Orlando still has surprises up its sleeves. Securing first place in the Eastern Conference is probably not in the cards yet. Boston will be incredibly difficult to beat, and the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Milwaukee Bucks are eying the same goal. That should not be the yardstick for winning Coach of the Year, though. 

Securing another playoff spot, potentially with homecourt advantage, and getting his team to improve offensively should be enough to get Mosley in the conversation again. 

The Magic are a strong defensive team. While that is impressive for such a young group, it might not be enough to carry them to a top three or four seed in the Eastern Conference. The Magic have to become a better offensive team, and Mosley has limited assets to work with. 

Paolo Banchero has shown what an offensive force he can be, but that alone will not be enough to carry the team. Internal improvement and putting players in the right positions to succeed will be the key to the Magic improving compared to last season. 

Mosley will have his hands full figuring out how to allow Jalen Suggs to improve as a playmaker, how to get Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner some easy shots, and how to guide along inexperienced players like Anthony Black, Jett Howard, and Tristan da Silva. 

The Magic might never become a top offense with this roster. They might have to add a dynamic scorer and playmaker via trade. But if Mosley can manage to have this group run a functioning offense (with an offensive rating that is better than 22nd in the league) and continue to win, it should make him one of the top candidates for Coach of the Year. 

Seeing a team as young as the Magic be a two-way force is not common, and turning this squad into that after they just struggled offensively last season would be incredibly impressive. It would also help if some of the other projected top teams underperformed, and the Magic could get some big wins against contenders.