It looks as if Peter Vecsey was right (which makes you wonder what else he’s right about).
The Magic are closing in on Scott Skiles. After he seemed to use the Pelicans for leverage, a deal with Orlando could happen soon.
Marc Stein of ESPN:
Story going online now: ESPN sources say Magic enter contract talks to make Scott Skiles next coach and hope to strike deal as soon as today
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) May 29, 2015
It’s hard to see this breaking down at this point. Skiles – unlike Tom Thibodeau when the Magic were reportedly interested in him – is a free agent, so this needn’t be complicated. I’d be surprised if both sides don’t have clear understandings of the contract’s terms already. This should just be about putting the fine print in writing.
In Skiles, the Magic will get a disciplinarian with a proven track record of coaching strong defenses and then burning out. They’ll also get a well-liked former Orlando player.
This isn’t shooting for the moon, but Skiles is a relatively safe hire.
