Baseball Magazine
Photo: Getty Images - Kevin Cox
- Troy Ballard
Look what we have here..
Of all the potential replacements for Stan Van Gundy -- Jerry Sloan just happened to fall right into the hands of the Orlando Magic.
The long time Jazzer is looking to make another run in the NBA, following a rather un-Sloan like departure (he's usually like the guy from the Dos Equis commercials) from Utah.
And conveniently for not only the Magic, but also for Sloan, there happens to be a head coaching position open in Orlando.
Even more perfect than that is how great of a fit Sloan would make with a Magic team that is stuck in the one-and-done rut.
Really -- Orlando should have already had pen to paper on this one.
Before I delve into the gritty of why the Sloanster would be a good fit, let's get a sticky point out of the way -- Dwight Howard. It is well known that Sloan does not work well with moody, emotional and diva superstars, and really, that's what Howard has turned into.
The reason the incredibly tenured coach bailed on Utah was because of Deron Williams (who really is quite low on the diva scale), and it would be safe to assume that Howard and Sloan could have some friction between one another.
However, there is still the chance that the Magic could deal away Howard -- someone just googled Dwight Howard trade rumors -- totally eliminating any potential issue. But even if DH12 isn't traded, Sloan could be the one that ends up setting him straight after essentially having free-reign over the Magic organization for his entire career. There's little doubt that it would be an incredibly interesting relationship, and my guess is that the latter would end up being the result.
Saying that Sloan and Howard can work things out, or even if the two don't, the Hall of Famer is still an excellent fit with the Magic. There is almost no question that when Jerry gets into a groove with his team, especially one with veteran talent, he can turn what would be a one-and-done playoff appearance into a possible championship run.
That's what the Magic have to offer.
This entire Orlando team is ripped with savvy veterans that have proven in the past that under the right coaching every single one of them can excel. Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson, Jason Richardson and even Quentin Richardson simply need a push in the right direction and fundamental coaching, and before Orlando knows it -- there is a serious contender being built from what is already on the roster.
Circling back around, regardless of what happens with Howard -- whether the Magic trade or keep him -- Sloan could make it work. He is one of the greatest coaches in NBA history of making something out of nothing -- and is one of the few leaders that doesn't have to lean on a superstar to win games.
The Charlotte Bobcats have shown interest in Sloan as well, even bringing him in for an interview. The Magic are in no real threat of losing him yet, but the longer the team plays the waiting game, the more likely it is he will look elsewhere.
The Magic may be without a GM, but ownership must still have some common sense -- bring Sloan to Orlando and do the fan base and team a favor.
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