It’s official. After much speculation, word broke via the Orlando Sentinel this morning that the Magic are going to let Billy Donovan out of his brand new five-year, $27.5 million deal so that he can return to the University of Florida. No word yet on whether the Magic will penalize him for breaking the contract.
How snake-bitten is this franchise? Just look at what has gone wrong for them over the past decade or so. Eleven years ago Shaq bounced for L.A., dealing the Magic a heavy blow that they’ve never really been able to recover from. Grant Hill’s signing was supposed to make everything better, but his prime years were spent in a suit on the bench. There was the soap opera that was the team’s breakup with T-Mac, followed by a lottery pick, Fran Vasquez, who basically disappeared and decided to stay in Spain. Now this.
It’s honestly too bad, not just for the Magic, but for the NBA as a whole. Everyone talks about how college coaches are never successful when they try to transition to the pros, but if there was a guy and a situation seemingly ready-made to topple that trend, this was it. Why do most college coaches never make it? Most times they’re dropped into a no-win situation with a terrible team and before rebuilding can really take hold, they’re a goner. Look no further than what happened with Mike Montgomery in Golden State. There are tons of other reasons as well — having to manage pro players making pro money and the pro egos that are part of the package, dealing with a season that’s two, sometimes three times as long as a college season, etc. — but Billy D seemed to be better off than most with his Orlando setup. He played in the NBA. He studied under Rick Pitino. He’s a hero in the state of Florida. He’s dynamic. On top of that, he would have been handed a good team with what seemed to be a great shot at signing Vince Carter or Rashard Lewis. He had a chance to win immediately. A team with VC and Dwight Howard would be a favorite in the Eastern Conference next year no matter who is coaching. How much better would his setup have been than, say, what Sam Vincent is facing in Charlotte, what Jim O’Brien is facing in Indy, or what Marc Iavaroni is facing in Memphis?
I’m sure we’ll learn more about why Billy backed out of his new job sooner rather than later. I hope there’s a great reason for him to turn down that money and the chance to succeed right away. Meanwhile, Orlando fans can try to get themselves fired up about Stan Van Gundy or another re-tread, Plan B coach …
June 4th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Girlybballluver says:
I wonder…how will the Gators react to Donovan’s recent moves. Though his decision to leave was quickly reversed, the fact that he made the initial decision to leave has gotta hurt the players.
June 4th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
Girlybballluver says:
I think I am the only person left on the planet that can’t stand Vince Carter (besides the people in Toronto). I think he is so overrated. Sure he has crazy hops and can dunk like no other, but he is inconsistent, and a defensive liability. I wouldn’t break my neck to get or keep him on my team.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
jnuh says:
“A team with VC and Dwight Howard would be a favorite in the Eastern Conference next year no matter who is coaching” ????
Right on Dime!
A crybaby who is afraid to go to the rim & someone who can’t do anything unless he’s standing under the rim.
Eastern Conference Champs 2007-2008! Start making that banner now…No, wait. Don’t. I just woke up & realized that’s the dumbest statement I’ve EVER heard.
And I read almost ALL of the postings on here…
June 4th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
balla40 says:
no ur not the onli person outside of t.dot who hates vince trust me i can’t stand his game in any way shape or form
June 4th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
Patrick Cassidy says:
jnuh -
are you serious? the pistons and heat are about to be dismantled and the cavs are in the NBA FINALS with one good player. you really think it’s that far-fetched that Orlando would be one of the favorites in the East? Come on now.
June 4th, 2007 at 11:47 pm
nick says:
vince is no lebron. Even with the help of dwight that still wouldn’t make them good enough.
June 4th, 2007 at 11:58 pm
pedro21 says:
stan van gundy is better equiped that billy d in terms of coaching and he is better fit in molding the young magic. orlando just signed the gators coach because they want media mileage and marketing exposure. he is a hero in florida but not in the nba. i say n’yet its better to stay in college hoops and hone the skills some more. van gundy will make a monster out of howard.
June 5th, 2007 at 8:55 am
rathauneak says:
“Van Gundy will make a monster out of Howard” ????? Sorry buddy, but mom and pops already took care that one night a few years back…lol.
June 5th, 2007 at 10:49 am
chrisGO says:
im with you Girlybballluver
Vince has no heart, simple as that.
June 6th, 2007 at 6:32 am
Zachary says:
I liked Patrick’s comments, but its a real shame most of the fans here in Orlando. There was a radio program on the other day discussing this matter when it first came up. They talked about how some 50 season tickets were sold as a result of Donovan’s signing, and then questioned what they were going to do now that that wasn’t the case anymore. The dj also pointed out that most people only like the Magic when something good is happening, and just used this latest debacle to continue there romp and stomp of the team.
I’ve been a Magic fan since Doc Rivers’ 41-41 team of 2000, and have seen them through some pretty rough times- and thought, like Patrick, we finally had something going right for once. Unfortunatly it didn’t work out, and we can only pray that Van Gundy will turn the team into something better; not something worse.