Orlando Sentinel: Donovan Will Be Let Out

Updating an earlier ESPN.com report, the Orlando Sentinel posted early this morning that the Magic will let Billy Donovan out of his contract so he can return to the University of Florida:

"It's over," said a source close to the situation.
[....]
Unless Donovan wakes up today and changes his mind, the Magic will let him go, the source said.

There's still no word as to what financial obligations, if any, Donovan will owe the Magic as part of voiding his contract.

I'll be extremely brief here: Billy Donovan just gave the City of Orlando a swift kick to the balls. It's one thing to express a desire to coach somewhere, only to have second thoughts later; it's quite another to sign a contract with a team and enthusiastically discuss its future, only to jilt it just days later.

My sadness outweighs my anger.

ESPN: Donovan Waffles, Wants Out of Magic Deal

Please tell me this isn't happening.

ESPN.com's Andy Katz reports that Billy Donovan has informed both the Magic and the University of Florida that he has changed his mind about coaching the Magic and would like to return to UF. It's ultimately up to the Magic to decide whether or not to let Donovan out of his five year, $27.5 M contract.

The information is still hazy at this point, but if it's true, I'm disappointed and disgusted. If the Magic let Donovan leave, it'll be even worse than when Shaquille left us back in 1996. Why? Shaq at least was with the organization for a few seasons and helped it enjoy some success; Donovan has been on the job for only a few days and has raised the hopes and expectations of an entire city. A few days ago, it looked like his hiring was the highest point in Magic history. Now, his potential departure stands to be its low point.

Orlando Sentinel: Donovan's Arrival Good News to Darko

Is re-signing Darko now a slam dunk?

The Orlando Sentinel reports that Magic free agent Darko Milicic is pleased with the arrival of Billy Donovan as the team's new head coach.

"I look at the hiring of Billy Donovan as a pro-Darko move," Marc Cornstein, Milicic's agent, told the Sentinel on Saturday.

[....]

Milicic, 21, was somewhat disappointed with the way [former coach Brian] Hill used him. He said after the season that he would have to explore going to a team that would allow him to facilitate the offense with his passing and shoot more from the outside.

The article goes on to mention that Cornstein has spoken with Milicic, who was enthusiastic about the news. It also states that several teams have already inquired as to Milicic's trade availability. It's amazing what four solid postseason games can do for one's stock.


Perhaps even more interesting is the Magic's need for what Otis Smith called "creative financing," which would let us retain Darko and still have enough money to sign a perimeter scorer. Any move to free up cap space would certainly have to involve either Hedo Turkoglu or Tony Battie, who earned $5.8 M and $5.7 M last season, respectively, according to USA Today. The chances of both those guys playing for us next season is growing slim.

Getting Billy Donovan to join us was only the first move in what's sure to be a busy, franchise-defining summer. I can't wait for what's next.

And So It Begins: Donovan's Introduction

Photo by Red Huber, Orlando Sentinel

Billy Donovan was introduced as the Magic's head coach at a news conference yesterday morning. I wanted to keep a real-time diary, but I knew Black and Blue was going to do his, and I didn't want to be redundant. Instead, I'll offer commentary on key quotes.

Of all the statements Donovan made, this one was the most important:

And to me, it is not about me, it is about all of us together as a team, one, trying to accomplish a goal. It was the same thing at Florida -- we were trying to accomplish a national championship, and it wasn't me, it was the administration, it was the assistant coaches, it was all the work the players put in, it was everybody was moving in the same direction.

That phrase proves, at least to me, that Billy Donovan gets It. He knows that his arrival is one of the biggest events in Magic history, but he also doesn't think of himself as a singular savior. He checked his ego at the door, in other words, and that's fantastic.

Slightly worrisome: he said that he's not really going to change his style of play.

Certainly it's going to be an adjustment, but I have got to coach to my personality and how I feel comfortable.

Fair enough, but I hope he isn't stubborn about sticking to his style if it becomes apparent that it isn't working. Say the Magic open the season 5-14 and are quickly in the cellar of the Eastern Conference. At that point, the Magic would have to do more than merely adjust. And what happens if Billy doesn't have a Plan B?

Uh oh.

On a more positive note, Donovan, like everyone else in the basketball universe, knows what the Magic need the most:

In looking at the team, certainly I think one of the needs I talked with Bob [Magic CEO Bob Vander Weide] and Otis [Magic GM Otis Smith] about is the need for a wing scorer, a perimeter scorer. I think that certainly is something that's a very, very high priority.

This is where the free agency rumors are really going to begin swirling. Of the five prized free agents this summer -- Chauncey Billups, Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, Gerald Wallace, and Mo Williams -- Carter, Lewis, and Wallace fit the profile. Each has his own pros and cons, but certainly those three players are now officially on the Magic's radar.

Finally, it's worth noting that Donovan dropped a few players' names when talking about the future, which seems to indicate that their jobs are safe. Dwight Howard and Trevor Ariza were two of those players, which I thought was obvious. He also mentioned Darko Milicic, which makes it appear as though he'll be retained this offseason. Oddly, he mentioned Jameer Nelson. While Jameer shouldn't be written off after one bad season, he also shouldn't be considered "untouchable." He's just not in the same class as Dwight, Darko, or Trevor, and should be made available for the right price.

In all, it's been a tremendously busy week for a franchise looking to become respectable once again. Donovan's enthusiasm and familiarity with players on the team should excite even the most cynical of Magic fans. For the first time in a long time, there is a buzz surrounding this organization and this city. The future is bright.

It's Official: Donovan Agrees to Terms, Will Sign with Magic

The speculation can cease now.

Billy Donovan has accepted the Magic's offer of five years and $27.5 million to become the franchise's latest head coach. He'll be introduced at a news conference tomorrow at 11:00 AM EST.

Kudos to the Magic for pursuing a big name. With all due respect to Stan Van Gundy, I doubt hiring him as the franchise's next coach would have made ESPN's front page. It's right in the center of the following screen grab:


And that's just what the Magic need: buzz. With all this attention, they should be able to get a new arena built. More importantly, they should be able to better attract free agents. Prior to today, the Magic could offer the opportunity to play alongside Dwight Howard and to make near-maximum money. Now, they can offer playing for one of college's most respected coaches.

A housekeeping note: In honor of Donovan's signing, I've added a "Billy Donovan" label to each post in which he appears, which will make those posts easier to find. I've also removed the "Brian Hill" label, although posts about him are still labeled under "Coaching".

Orlando Sentinel: Donovan to Sign With Magic

I'll file this one under "C" for "Coaching Developments, Most Surprising"

According to a report on the Orlando Sentinel's website, Florida Gators coach Billy Donovan will sign to be the next head coach of the Orlando Magic.

I'm speechless. This hiring is going to be a hit with many Magic fans. I just hope Otis Smith made his decision based on what's good for the team, not for the franchise as a whole. By that, I mean I hope he made the move because he's sure that Donovan will legitimately improve the Magic, not because he wants to get a new arena built for the team.

Wow.

I have to wipe egg off my face now. I wrote this paragraph only yesterday:

I wouldn't get too excited about this news. Billy Donovan is no dummy; he knows that the more he talks to pro teams, the more money UF will have to throw at him. Shaquille did the same thing to us ten years ago. The second he became a free agent, he knew he was going to sign with the Lakers. He told them that he was still undecided, which caused them to raise their offer. Then he left us. And that was all she wrote.

Well, he did what Shaq did, all right. But, contrary to what I first thought, UF was being strung along, not us.

Report: Iavaroni to Sign with Grizzlies

ESPN.com is reporting that the Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to a three-year deal with Phoenix Suns assistant Marc Iavaroni. The signing is expected to be announced tomorrow.

The Magic got permission from the Suns to speak with Iavaroni, but it's unclear as to whether or not he was ever interviewed. The hiring of Iavaroni narrows down the Magic's short list to Stan Van Gundy, Larry Brown, Billy Donovan, and others.

Orlando Sentinel: Magic Contacted Billy Donovan's Agent

I'll file this one under "C" for "Coaching Developments, Least Surprising."

According to Tim Povtak of the Sentinel, the Magic have contacted the agent who represents Billy Donovan. The Magic want to know if he is interested in leaving the University of Florida, where he won back-to-back national championships, for the NBA. This news comes despite of reports that Donovan is close to signing an extension with UF.

I'm not thrilled at the prospect of hiring Donovan. College coaches rarely enjoy success in the NBA. John Calipari, Tim Floyd, Lon Kruger, and Rick Pitino are just four college coaches who jumped to the pros and failed miserably. However, it could be argued that none of those coaches had a pro roster as talented as the Magic's right now, so Donovan might succeed here more than I expected. Former Magic head coach Doc Rivers, currently with Boston, agreed with that sentiment when he said the following:

"I've never bought into that thinking that they can't make it in the NBA. It's still just basketball. If you're a good coach and you have talent, you can be successful."

Fair enough, but I still doubt Donovan would leave UF under any circumstances. He has everything he wants there. With the Magic, he'd only be the head coach, because there's no way Otis Smith would ever relinquish his GM duties to him.

I wouldn't get too excited about this news. Billy Donovan is no dummy; he knows that the more he talks to pro teams, the more money UF will have to throw at him. Shaquille did the same thing to us ten years ago. The second he became a free agent, he knew he was going to sign with the Lakers. He told them that he was still undecided, which caused them to raise their offer. Then he left us. And that was all she wrote.

For another fan's take on the Donovan situation and what it might mean for Stan Van Gundy, I recommend reading this post by Black and Blue at his blog.

One more note: the Sentinel's report today mentions that Larry Brown, who has coached every basketball team in the history of the world at least once, told the Sentinel that he would consider returning to coaching. If the itch is still there, Larry should scratch it. Just not here. He already has a testy relationship with Darko Milicic and Trevor Ariza, both of whom he buried on the bench while choaching Detroit and New York, respectively. His inability to connect with younger players caused the U.S. Olympic team he coached in 2004 to win only a bronze medal. In short, he's not fit to coach the Magic, and I do not endorse his candidacy.

I need to return to Seven Seconds or Less, the book about the Phoenix Suns to which I alluded in my last post, now. I hope to have my impressions on Suns assistant Marc Iavaroni posted by tomorrow night.

Irony Strikes: Iavaroni More Defensive than Offensive

Earlier this evening, I bought Jack McCallum's book Seven Seconds Or Less: My Season on the Bench with the Runnin' and Gunnin' Phoenix Suns in an attempt to gain more insight into the mind of Marc Iavaroni, the Suns assistant and potential next Magic head coach. The Suns have been the best offensive team in basketball over the past several seasons, which is why the scoring-challenged Magic so covet Iavaroni.

I sat down to read the book, but I made sure to read the section in the beginning that identifies the Suns' players, coaches, and staff. Here's what McCallum wrote about Iavaroni (emphasis mine):

MARC IAVARONI (I-VA-RO-NEE) - [Head Coach Mike] D'Antoni's lead assistant; handles defensive strategy; won one NBA title as a player; nobody works harder on film study but has a sense of humor.

So we're interested in this guy for offense, yet the reporter who spent an entire season with him and his team describes him as a defensive coach. I'm not really dismissing Iavaroni after reading a blurb in a book I haven't yet started, but is Stan Van Gundy still on the line?

One bit about Van Gundy before I sit down to read: Bethlehem Shoals of FreeDarko wrote this small piece for AOL , in which he writes "I can't stress enough, though, how amazing [Van Gundy] coaching the Magic would be." Since I gather that Iavaroni is the favorite candidate of most Magic fans, I thought I'd pass along a dissenting view.

Anyway, I'll have my thoughts on the book posted once I finish it.