The Orlando Magic may consider firing head coach Jamahl Mosley after a disappointing playoff exit, mirroring a historic collapse from 3-1 against the Detroit Pistons. This follows a season where the Magic secured the No. 8 seed but lost in Game 7 despite a strong start.
Key points
Orlando Magic may fire head coach Jamahl Mosley
Magic blew a 3-1 series lead against the Pistons
Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris scored 62 points combined
Twenty-three years ago, an eighth-seeded Orlando Magic team led by Doc Rivers got out to a 3-1 series lead against the East's top seed, the Detroit Pistons, then proceeded to forfeit that advantage and lose in the first round. After initially bringing back Rivers as head coach, he was fired by the Magic 11 games into the following season.
For the Magic, 2025-26 has now been eerily similar to 2002-03.
After winning 45 games, Orlando claimed the East's No. 8 seed, was matched up against the No. 1-seeded Pistons and got out to a 3-1 series lead, then blew that lead, losing Game 7 on Sunday afternoon by allowing Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris to combine for 62 points.
Now, the question is: will the Magic follow the path of 2003, when they wound up firing their head coach following a blown playoff lead? Jamahl Mosley's future already appeared murky heading into the 2026 NBA Playoffs; now, the lack of execution to close out the Pistons could give Orlando another reason to look for a new voice.
Q&A
Why could Jamahl Mosley be fired as head coach of the Orlando Magic?
Jamahl Mosley could be fired due to the Magic's failure to capitalize on a 3-1 series lead against the Detroit Pistons, resulting in a first-round playoff exit.
What historical event is similar to the Magic's recent playoff performance?
The Magic's recent playoff performance is reminiscent of their 2002-03 season when they lost a 3-1 series lead against the Pistons, leading to the firing of head coach Doc Rivers.
Who were the standout players in the Pistons' comeback against the Magic?
Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris were the standout players in the Pistons' comeback, combining for 62 points in Game 7.
How many games did the Orlando Magic win during the regular season?
The Orlando Magic won 45 games during the regular season, securing the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.
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For now, Mosely's future in Orlando appears up in the air. There were reports from mid-April, including from Jake Fischer, that indicated the Magic were “almost certain” to part ways with Mosley; a stronger showing than expected could have changed things, but there should be a more concrete answer from the franchise soon as the offseason approaches.
The Magic appear to fit the prototype of a team that will consider a head coaching change: talented and expensive, but underachieving.
Going back to the dawn of the 2025-26 season, Orlando was viewed as a potential threat to come out of the Eastern Conference. After winning 41 games last year, then falling to the Celtics in the first round, the Magic went out and acquired one of the best sharpshooters and scorers in the NBA in Desmond Bane — with Bane in the fold to aid a struggling offense, plus more natural development from stars in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, Orlando had the look of a unit that could make a deep playoff run. Per Basketball Reference, the team ranked No. 12 in payroll for 2025-26.
Instead, the Magic didn't look like a very different team this past season. Similar to before, Orlando boasted the size and elite backcourt defenders to be a top-tier defensive team — the Magic ranked 13th in points allowed per game — but they continued struggling to shoot. Banchero (24.3 points per game) and Bane (18.5 points per game) had good years, but with Wagner dealing with injuries, no other Magic players filled much of the offensive void, and the team shot just 34.5% from deep.
Orlando scrapped its way to the No. 8 seed, and drew a first-round opponent with a similar physical play style in Detroit. Initially, that worked in the Magic's favor. They relied on slow, defensive games to claim three wins over the Pistons, using their plethora of sizable defenders to keep everybody but Cade Cunningham from hurting them. But eventually, Detroit's talent won out.
The Magic blew their 3-1 lead over the last week as their defense began collapsing, allowing Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren and Daniss Jenkins to become factors for Detroit, while Banchero and Bane got little offensive help, especially from the perimeter. In Game 7, Banchero scored 38 of his team's 94 points, and the Magic allowed Harris to put up 30 in their loss.
Circling back to Mosley: on one hand, he cannot be blamed for the Magic's poor offensive roster construction, and he deserves some credit for helping his team get out to the 3-1 lead as a No. 8 seed. After entering the postseason with a red-hot seat, Mosley at least made an argument to retain his position by leading his unit to nearly pulling off a stunning upset.
But at the end of the day, Mosley also couldn't rally the Magic to beat the Pistons one more time across three games. Blown leads have often got coaches fired in the past, and considering Orlando's lackluster performances throughout the season despite lots of talent, the team could eye a like Billy Donovan or Mike Budenholzer to attempt to elevate its ceiling moving forward.
Marc Stein reported Sunday that "the anticipation in NBA coaching circles is that [Mosley] will be the first one blamed for Orlando's shortcomings.”
At minimum, the Magic have a decision to make on Mosley's future. The team showed signs of improvement right at the end of the season, then collapsed — Orlando may decide it needs a new voice to lead Banchero, Bane and Wagner next year.
Mosley has been at the helm in Orlando since 2021-22, when he succeeded Steve Clifford and became a first-time head coach. Over his time with the Magic, he does carry a losing record at 189-221.
Orlando did improve over Mosley's first few seasons, going from 22 wins in 2021-22 to 47 and a playoff berth in 2023-24. But the Magic appear to have hit a wall with their Banchero-Wagner core — they have won 41 and 45 games in the last two seasons, exiting in the first round of the postseason in three straight years.
Here's a look at Mosley's stint with the Magic so far:
