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In an interview with Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Magic general manager Rob Hennigan voiced support for Jacque Vaughn, his team's second-year head coach. "We're very proud of the job that Jacque has done," Hennigan told Schmitz. "His leadership has set the foundation."
Since Hennigan hired Vaughn prior to the 2012/13 season, Orlando's record stands at 30-87 (.256), the league's worst in that span. But the Magic are evaluating Vaughn on criteria other than wins and losses.
"They rely more on the intangibles for now: leadership, communication, developing young players, etc," says Schmitz of how Orlando grades Vaughn. "Vaughn is impossibly upbeat even as the losses pile up."
Under Vaughn's tenure, veteran swingman Arron Afflalo has bloomed into an All-Star candidate thanks to his rare combination of volume scoring and efficiency. Center Nik Vučević has shown promise as a foundational player, and Andrew Nicholson has expanded his offensive game to include a three-point shot.
Schmitz's full interview with Hennigan touches on a variety of topics, not simply Vaughn's job performance.
