Coaching Updates From Around The League

[Roy H.]

The Orlando Magic are closing in on Dallas Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley and he’s emerged as the strong front-runner to become the franchise’s next head coach, sources told ESPN on Thursday. Conversations are ongoing, but Mosley, 42, has separated himself in the organization’s process, sources tell ESPN.
– via Adrian Wojnarowski @ ESPN

The Magic process had narrowed to two candidates, including Denver assistant Wes Unseld Jr., who has also emerged as one of the leading candidates for the Washington Wizards’ vacancy, sources said.
– via Adrian Wojnarowski @ ESPN

If hired, Jamahl Mosley would face an enormously difficult task in the years ahead. He would be entrusted to teach the Magic’s youngsters the right way to play and hold them accountable in an environment where winning will not initially be the primary goal. Mosley, 42, is the Magic’s top choice for their vacant head-coaching job, a league source told The Athletic, confirming news reported first by ESPN. The deal is not done yet, the source said, but the Magic and Mosley’s agent are in the midst of negotiating the particulars of a new contract.
– via Josh Robbins @ The Athletic

Adrian Wojnarowski: Former Wizards coach Scott Brooks is finalizing a deal with Portland to become Chauncey Billups’ top assistant coach, sources tell ESPN. That’s a significant addition for Billups as he builds his new staff.

Adrian Wojnarowski: The Brooklyn Nets are finalizing a deal with David Vanterpool to become an assistant coach, sources tell ESPN.
– via Twitter wojespn

s the Washington Wizards move through the second round of interviews in their head coaching search, soon general manager Tommy Sheppard will meet with the team’s star guards Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook to discuss the finalists and get their feedback before making the final decision on whom to hire.
– via Chase Hughes @ NBC Sports

And Team Management News:

While he’s yet to sign a new deal with Raptors owners Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment or – conversely — indicate that’s he’s leaving after a spectacular, franchise-changing nine-year run, Ujiri has been doing what he always does in the build-up to the draft – eyeing talent, working the phones, laying out scenarios for free agency and beyond. “He’s working like someone whose team’s problems are his to fix. He’s all in on the draft, he’s looking at free agency,” said one player agent. “He’s coming back.”
– via SportsNet

Weltman and general manager John Hammond each have one year remaining on their contracts, but most league insiders believe it is a foregone conclusion that Magic CEO Alex Martins and the franchise owners, the DeVos family, will extend those contracts or sign Weltman and Hammond to new deals. If Martins and the DeVos family didn’t have full faith in Weltman and Hammond, then they never would have gone along with the risky plan to rebuild the team from the ground up. Some league insiders believe the length of Weltman’s and Hammond’s new deals will align exactly with the contract Mosley is expected to sign. In other words, if Weltman and Hammond have two years added to their existing deals (giving them three more years in total), then Mosley would receive a three-year contract. And so on.

Former Celtics general manager Chris Wallace is joining the Rockets as their director of scouting, ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported Tuesday.

Wallace served as Celtics GM from 1997 to 2007, with mixed results: He selected future Hall of Famer Paul Pierce with the 10th pick in the 1998 NBA Draft but traded top draft pick Joe Johnson to the Phoenix Suns in February 2002 for Tony Delk and Rodney Rogers. Johnson went on to become a seven-time All-Star, while Delk and Rogers played a combined three seasons for Boston.

[Who]

Why in the world would Orlando keep their front office guys around? They have done nothing but fail. They built nothing during their time there. Now get more time because they said, "hey let me blow everything up so I can start building something that I did not bother to do in any of my previous seasons here".

Gotta suck to be a Magic fan.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Why in the world would Orlando keep their front office guys around? They have done nothing but fail. They built nothing during their time there. Now get more time because they said, "hey let me blow everything up so I can start building something that I did not bother to do in any of my previous seasons here".

Gotta suck to be a Magic fan.

This.