The Orlando Magic underwent a dramatic overhaul on Monday when they elected to fire head coach Stan Van Gundy and announced that general manager Otis Smith has decided to step down. It was a move that made many skeptical and will undoubtedly bring plenty of attention to the team in the coming months as they decide what to do with Dwight Howard.
Orlando Magic Fire Stan Van Gundy, Decide To Keep His Assistant Coaches
The team has already said that the first order of business will be to find a new general manager to run the head coaching search. His hands might be a bit tied, however, as CEO Alex Martins announced on Monday afternoon that the team will allow Van Gundy’s assistants to remain on staff if they’re interested.
Per Martins, the team has given Van Gundy's assistant coaching staff--Ahmad Ajami, Bob Beyer, Steve Clifford, Patrick Ewing, and Brendan Malone--the option to remain on the staff for the final year of their contracts.
Typically coaches prefer to build their own staffs with coaches that they are familiar with or have worked with in the past. If all five assistants stay in place, however, Van Gundy’s replacement won’t have that luxury.
For more on Van Gundy, Smith and the Magic, visit Orlando Pinstriped Post and SB Nation Tampa Bay.
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