Terry Stotts looks likely to land on his feet fairly quickly after being fired as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers.
According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Orlando Magic are interested in Stotts after parting ways with coach Steve Clifford on Saturday.
The Magic have interest in former Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts, league sources say, after Orlando and Steve Clifford parted ways today.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 5, 2021
Stotts may have other options as well. According to Shams Charania and Jason Quick of The Athletic, Stotts would likely to be a candidate for the Indiana Pacers’ head coaching position should it open up this offseason. The Pacers are believed to be considering the future of first-year coach Nate Bjorkgren.
That report states that the Blazers wanted to reflect on Stotts’ future, but Stotts and his agent sought a quick resolution to avoid missing opportunities elsewhere. The decision by the Magic on Saturday is precisely why they were so eager to receive a final verdict from Portland.
Stotts is the winningest coach in Blazers history and was well-liked by his players. While there were concerns over his team’s lack of defensive acumen, he’s clearly good in the locker room and a stabilizing influence. Both the Magic and Pacers could use that right now, especially in Indiana’s case.
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