Orlando Magic fire general manager Rob Hennigan
With another roster reset possibly coming, the Orlando Magic have dismissed general manager Rob Hennigan.
For the last handful of years, the Orlando Magic have been where no NBA team wants to be. Missing the playoffs continually is never ideal, but being bad enough to get a lot of lottery balls and high draft picks is a viable alternative. Orlando has been neither, and with a 29-53 finish this season they’re again in that middle ground.
Rob Hennigan’s five-season tenure as general manager in Orlando has included zero playoff appearances, with a last-place finish in the Southeast Division each season. Expectations were raised for this year with the hiring of former Pacers’ head coach Frank Vogel, but as another losing season wound down Hennigan was clearly on the hot seat.
With the regular season in the books, it’s now job-watch and firing season in the NBA. The Magic made their obvious move official on Thursday morning.
Orlando has fired GM Rob Hennigan, league source tells @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 13, 2017
A full search for a new general manager is coming, but for now Orlando has elevated assistant general manager Matt Lloyd to the interim position.
Orlando has appointed Matt Lloyd as the interim GM, league source tells @TheVertical. He will be a candidate for the permanent job.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 13, 2017
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Hennigan was the youngest GM in the league, at 35 years old. Being associated with success in San Antonio and Oklahoma City during previous front office stints surely got him the job in Orlando, at age 30. But Hennigan proved to be in over his head constructing a roster he would be held accountable for, and the Magic may turn to a more proven commodity for a new front office lead. Speculation surrounding Doc Rivers making a return to Orlando may now re-ignite.