As the 2025-26 season draws to a close, head coaching vacancies will start to open up across the league.
At 40-36, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley is reportedly on the hot seat, and he could be fired if the team doesn’t make a competent postseason run. According to insider Brett Siegel, however, the franchise already has a replacement in mind: Nuggets coach Michael Malone.
“Winning is the Magic’s main priority, and missing the playoffs with the roster they have assembled would be viewed as a failure of a season,” wrote Siegel. “That is why Mosley is on the hot seat, and it’s also why league sources are linking former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone to Orlando. Malone is once again expected to hear his name in connection with several head coaching openings this upcoming summer, particularly in Orlando if they move on from Mosley.”
The Magic haven’t made any permanent decisions on their coaching staff, but it hasn’t been a great tenure under Mosley, who has amassed a 144-184 record in his first four seasons on the job. While he has led the Magic to a respectable place in the East, he has butted heads with Paolo Banchero, causing some division in the locker room and increasing doubt among fans.
At ninth in the East (40-36), they haven’t come close to meeting expectations, and frustration has been building with each passing loss. Now, with just six games left to play, the Magic are scrambling to get their act together and find a winning formula before it’s too late.
If they can’t, the Magic won’t hesitate to find a new voice, and Michael Malone is viewed as the perfect fit.
“Dating back to his time with the Nuggets, Malone always spoke highly of All-Star Paolo Banchero and the talent that the Magic have,” added Siegel. “His winning demeanor and approach to holding his team accountable are exactly what the Magic have been missing. Which is why there is already a sense among league personnel that he would be the perfect replacement to take this organization to the next level.”
Under Malone’s leadership, the Nuggets won the championship in 2023, beating the Heat in five games to take home the Larry O’Brien trophy. While Nikola Jokic is the one to credit for the run, Malone’s influence in the locker room was real, and his schemes helped guide the Nuggets through their toughest obstacles.
Malone was ultimately fired after a falling out with the front office, but he’s been mentioned as a candidate for several coaching jobs. His championship experience and candid approach are just what the Magic need right now as a young team that makes far too many mistakes on the floor.
What’s most important is how Malone would get along with Paolo Banchero. If he can reach the young swingman in a way nobody else has, it could unlock a whole new level to his game and start the Magic down the path to contention. At the very least, hiring Malone would send the message that this Orlando Magic squad is serious about winning.
