Magic nearing agreement to hire Sean Sweeney as next head coach: Sources

The Orlando Magic are working to complete a contract to hire Sean Sweeney as their next head coach, a league source told The Athletic on Friday.

Sweeney, 41, spent last season as the San Antonio Spurs’ associate head coach, helping lead them to the NBA’s third-ranked defense. Sweeney will remain with the Spurs through the rest of their playoff run, per the league source.

Before he joined the Spurs, Sweeney worked as an assistant coach for four seasons with the Dallas Mavericks (2021-25), three seasons with the Detroit Pistons (2018-21) and four seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks (2014-18).

In Milwaukee, Sweeney’s tenure as an assistant coach overlapped for three seasons with John Hammond’s tenure as general manager. Hammond, who went on to become the Magic’s general manager, now works as a senior advisor to Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman.

Sweeney will inherit a defensive-oriented team that was coached for the last five seasons by Jamahl Mosley, who guided the Magic to three consecutive playoff appearances. However, they were unable to advance beyond the first round.

Mosley was fired after the Magic lost their first-round playoff series this spring to the Pistons despite taking a 3-1 series lead and holding a 24-point lead in Game 6 at home.

Sweeney’s task will be to maintain or strengthen the Magic’s defense while improving an offense that often struggled in the half court.

— Dan Woike contributed to this report.