Magic fire head coach Jamahl Mosley after 5 seasons

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Orlando Magic have fired coach Jamahl Mosley, the team announced Monday.Mosley, 47, spent the past five seasons with Orlando, leading the team out of a rebuild and into the playoffs each of the past three seasons. They failed to advance past the first round in any of them after they lost in seven games to the Detroit Pistons this season, blowing a 3-1 lead. Mosley went 189-221 overall.Magic president Jeff Weltman, who signed a contract extension just before Orlando's run to the NBA Cup final four, will lead the team's search for the next head coach.Mosley led the Magic to two division titles and three consecutive winning seasons while dealing with a litany of injuries to key starters, particularly over the last two years."We're grateful to Jamahl (Mosley) for all he's done for the Orlando Magic," said Weltman in a statement. "We appreciate his leadership and the positive contributions he made as head coach. While this was a difficult decision, we feel it's time for a new voice and fresh perspective. We wish Jamahl and his family nothing but the best."Mosley, who was an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks before being hired by Orlando in 2021, built teams anchored by strong defenses with the Magic. The team ranked No. 3 in 2023-24 and No. 2 overall last season, before falling to 11th this season.The 47 wins he authored in 2024 were the most by the franchise in any season since 2011, and the three consecutive playoff appearances were also the most since Orlando reached the postseason six straight years from 2007-12.Despite that success, Mosley could never unlock the team's offense, as the Magic were in the bottom 10 in each of the past four seasons.And while they improved this season, the Magic didn't make the leap they were expected to after trading four first-round picks for former Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane in a blockbuster trade last summer.That trade brought with it heightened expectations for this season, only for Orlando to spend most of it fighting to escape from the play-in spots in the Eastern Conference standings, and ultimately suffer another first round playoff exit.