Head coach Scott Skiles informed the Orlando Magic that he is stepping down after one season with the team.
“After much thought and careful consideration, I and I alone, have come to the conclusion that I am not the right head coach for this team,” said Skiles. “Therefore, effective immediately, I resign my position as head coach of the Orlando Magic. I realize this type of decision can cause much speculation. The reality though is in the first sentence. It is simple and true. Any other rumors are pure conjecture.”
“I sincerely apologize for any unintended consequences that may adversely affect anyone associated with this decision,” Skiles continued. “The Magic are a world-class organization that employs world-class people. I wish them nothing but great success. I will always be thankful, especially to the DeVos family, for the opportunity.”
“While we understand it was a challenging season, we reluctantly have accepted Scott’s (Skiles) resignation,” said General Manager Rob Hennigan. “We appreciate Scott instilling a culture of accountability and certainly wish him and his family well.”
He has an overall NBA regular season record of 478-480 (.499) as head coach with Phoenix, Chicago, Milwaukee and Orlando. During his 14 seasons as a head coach, his teams have reached the NBA Playoffs six times.
The Magic finished with a 35-47 record, a ten-game improvement from last season. Skiles was named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for December 2015.
In announcing Skiles’ decision, the Magic said that their search for a new coach will start immediately.
