News has officially been broken: the Orlando Magic are filling their open coaching spot with the San Antonio Spurs assistant, Sean Sweeney. This is a great pick, considering that his contributions were huge for the Spurs’ second-seeded finish. But, at the same time, the Magic did the Clippers a massive favor by not offering the position to Jeff Van Gundy, who was reportedly interviewed, as his brain is crucial for LA’s success.
Sources: Magic finalizing deal to hire Spurs associate Sean Sweeney as coach - via @ESPN App https://t.co/N2NKECYIjW
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 29, 2026
Throughout the Magic’s job-hiring process, nerves were running at uncontrollable speeds, emotions were high, and there was worry about what the Clippers would do and how lost they would be if Van Gundy made his way to Orlando.
However, for now, Clipper Nation is in the clear. The Magic and Trail Blazers (reportedly don’t want to give a raise) are both out of the picture. So, assuming there are no more coaching dismissals, which would lead to interviews for Van Gundy as he’s one of the best candidates in the league, LA is on track to have its top assistant in the fall.
Jeff Van Gundy is more important than people think for the Clippers
Every fan of the LA Clippers can attest to the fact that Jeff Van Gundy does not get enough love from the national media. He might just be an assistant at the end of the day, but he’s no ordinary one; Van Gundy is of the elite, which is why he’s in almost every rumor when there’s a coaching opening.
But, to really get a glimpse of how great he is, just take a deep dive into the last two seasons the Clippers have presented to their fans.
In Van Gundy’s first year in LA, he set the tone. There was absolutely nothing but a sense of urgency, precise defensive coverages, and championship characteristics.
These helped the Clippers finish as the fifth seed in the Western Conference with a 50-32 record. Keep in mind, this was the same season that the expectations were very low, as they lost a superstar in Paul George in the offseason.
Then, in Van Gundy’s second go-round with the Clippers, he helped ignite a historic regular-season turnaround after beginning 6-21. That speaks volumes, even if LA didn’t make the playoffs.
Want further proof? James Harden hopped on 'The Hoop Collective' and shared an inside look of the great bond he has with Van Gundy.
That said, Van Gundy is very valuable to the Clippers, and rightfully so, fans are beyond happy that he’s not leaving LA’s sidelines. If he did, that would truly be a spot the front office cannot replace.
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