Jeff Van Gundy has officially entered the Orlando coaching chat. The Orlando Magic have interviewed the veteran sideline voice as they speed up their search to replace Jamahl Mosley, league sources say, adding another big name to a pool that already includes former Bulls coach Billy Donovan and Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney. The job opened after Mosley was fired in the wake of Orlando’s first-round playoff collapse, and the team is expected to move into in-person interviews in the coming days.
According to Orlando Sentinel, league sources say the Magic have already sat down with Van Gundy. Reporting by Jake Fischer at HoopsRumors (via The Stein Line) adds that Donovan is viewed as the early frontrunner, with Sweeney expected to receive an interview as well.
Van Gundy's résumé and what he brings
Van Gundy returned to an NBA bench ahead of the 2024-25 season as lead assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he has been credited with shaping the team’s defense, according to NBA.com. His head coaching stops include the New York Knicks from 1996 to 2001 and the Houston Rockets from 2003 to 2007, and he has not run a team as head coach since 2007, per long-running coaching carousel tracking. That stretch on the sidelines, followed by roughly 16 years as a television analyst, is a big part of why he is viewed as a steady, veteran option.
Donovan and other veterans in the mix
Billy Donovan is widely viewed around the league as a strong candidate to land the job, with conversations already underway between Donovan and Magic leadership, according to HoopsRumors. Donovan and the Chicago Bulls parted ways earlier this month as the franchise retooled, a change noted by Sports Illustrated, which has framed him as a natural fit for Orlando’s roster and timeline.
What the Magic are saying
President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman has stressed that the Magic do not want to start this search with “preconceived non-negotiables,” according to Orlando Sentinel. The vacancy itself followed Mosley’s dismissal on May 4, 2026, after Orlando was knocked out in the first round of the playoffs for a third straight season, as reported by CBS Sports.
What to watch next
Over the next couple of weeks, expect the usual wave of permission requests, background checks, and sit-downs. Teams must often grant permission before assistants can formally interview, and Van Gundy’s name is circulating in more than one front office. The Portland Trail Blazers, for instance, requested permission to interview Van Gundy as a finalist for their own opening, according to TheScore.
Whether the Magic ultimately go with a seasoned hand like Van Gundy or Donovan, or pivot to a younger schematic mind, the choice will reveal how the franchise is weighing immediate expectations against long-term development around its core. That picture should sharpen once the interviews wrap and Orlando decides which bench boss gets the keys.
