Report: Spurs’ Jacque Vaughn frontrunner for Orlando job? (Update)

Update July 22 10:30 pm: Orlando has narrowed down their coaching search to three candidates according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (H/T Pro Basketball Talk).

“Magic general manager Rob Hennigan conducted first-round interviews with six candidates and whittled     the field down to three: Philadelphia 76ers associate head coach Michael Curry, Phoenix Suns player     development coach Lindsey Hunter and (Spurs assistant coach) Jacque Vaughn.

Martins was going to conduct the second-round interviews and then narrow the list to one or two finalists     for meetings with the DeVos family.”

The Sentinel also reported that Orlando met with Vaughn for the second time on Friday confirming speculation to why he was absent for the Spurs’ Summer League game against the Miami Heat. San Antonio granted his absence.

Vaughn, 37, is an interesting choice given his lack of coaching experience. Other than his potential new gig in Orlando, he’s been notably absent from every other coaching vacancy. That has some wondering whether he’d be a good hire. TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal took to Twitter to dissect the situation.

Orlando magic is about to hire jock Vaugh over mike Malone or Brian shaw are u kidding me, wow, good luck winning wit Dat team Dwite howard

— SHAQ (@SHAQ) July 22, 2012

I’m just glad he doesn’t get paid to spell correctly.

July 21 1:32 pm: Is Vaughn meeting with Orlando in lieu of coaching the Spurs’ Summer League team? No one knows for sure but Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel believes the speculation.

Jacque Vaughn was excused from coaching Spurs’ summer-league game Fri. Guess is it’s his wknd to talk to DeVos family about coaching Magic.

— Brian K. Schmitz (@MagicInsider) July 21, 2012

July 15 4:45 pm: Orlando is no longer considering Michael Malone for their coaching vacancy according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. The remaining candidates, as of now, are Lindsey Hunter, Jeff Hornacek and Jacque Vaughn.

July 15 3:06 pm: Brian Shaw has officially pulled out of contention for the Orlando job according to Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated.

July 13 12:03 pm: The Orlando Magic are currently in the midst of a tumultuous era. Burdened with an unhappy superstar, they’ve been pressed to flip Dwight Howard for the best possible assets.

Talks have interested, halted, intensified and halted again. Howard waived his ETO (Early Termination Option) last year, signifying his tentative loyalty to the Magic organization. Yet Orlando has been subject to the same cycle.

Suffice to say the entire organization needs continuity before they can adequately build teams without their superstar center.

San Antonio Spurs’ assistant Jacque Vaughn, whose benefited from Gregg Popovich’s guidance, has been apart of an organization that thrives on continuity. If Orlando truly values winning, Vaughn wouldn’t be a bad choice.

And apparently Vaughn, who will head the Summer League squad this year, has emerged as the frontrunner for the Orlando coaching vacancy according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

The candidacy of San Antonio assistant Jacque Vaughn has gathered momentum in Orlando’s coaching search, league sources tell Y! Sports.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 13, 2012

Among Orlando’s initial candidates were Michael Malone, Brian Shaw, Lindsey Hunter and Jeff Hornacek. Quin Snyder dropped out of contention after he left the Lakers for a similar role with CSKA Moscow.

The Spurs’ coaching staff has already lost longtime assistant Don Newman to the Wizards.

(Photo courtesy of Pro Basketball Talk.)