Orlando
Magic

Magic Team Report

Updated: May 28, 2012 04:17 EST

Magic center Dwight Howard said Thursday he did not try to get Stan Van Gundy fired.

"I hate see anyone lose their job," Howard told TMZ.com in Beverly Hills, Calif., in his first public comments since Van Gundy was dismissed.

The Magic fired Van Gundy and general manager Otis Smith on Monday. It ended a tumultuous season that included a trade demand by Howard and friction between the team's star and the front office.

"Me and Stan... we had our ups and downs... but for the most part we had one goal: to win a championship in Orlando," Howard said. "But we fell short."

Howard said he appreciated Magic CEO Alex Martins for saying Howard did not spark either move.

"I'm glad (Martins) confirmed I had nothing to do with it," he said.

Van Gundy, 51, served as coach for five years and compiled a 259-135 regular-season record. His teams made the playoffs five times and won three division titles and one Eastern Conference championship.

ESPN NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy strongly criticized Orlando Magic executive Alex Martins on Friday, after he fired coach Stan Van Gundy earlier in the week.

Jeff Van Gundy told ESPN Radio that Martins, the Magic's CEO, lacks basketball knowledge and lied about why he let his brother go.

"Listen, all you have done in your 25 years in the business is release press releases and run the business side," Van Gundy said. "You don't know if a ball is blown up or stuffed.

Stan Van Gundy reportedly had a tumultuous relationship with star center Dwight Howard. It is believed that Howard asked that Van Gundy be fired.

Howard denied that he had anything to do with the firing and Martins backed that up.

"To try to make everyone believe that Dwight Howard didn't have a part in this is absurd," Jeff Van Gundy said. "Just say, 'we fired this guy because we feel this is our best chance to keep Dwight Howard. Dwight Howard and I decided to fire him.' To do anything else is playing a game of semantics."

Jeff Van Gundy also accused Martins of waiting until his older brother left the Magic offices before calling him on the phone to avoid firing him in person.

Stan Van Gundy went 259-135 and guided the Magic to the playoffs in each of the five seasons he coached the team.

SEASON HIGHLIGHT: The Magic opened strong, winning 10 of their first 13 games. In that stretch, they won five consecutive, including four during an early West Coast swing. Dwight Howard was dominating around the basket and Ryan Anderson was responding well to his first season as a full-time starter.

TURNING POINT: Although the Magic played through Howard's early trade request, they were wildly inconsistent in the middle of the season. Then late in the season, Van Gundy told everyone that Howard had gone to management and asked for him to be fired. It wasn't long afterward that Howard sustained the ruptured disk in his back, which ended any hopes the Magic had.

--Orlando reportedly is eyeing executives with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs for its vacant general manager position.

Magic officials hope to interview Thunder vice president and assistant general manager Troy Weaver and Spurs assistant general manager Dennis Lindsey, Yahoo! Sports reported Sunday.

Already, the Magic has received permission to talk to Weaver as well as Oklahoma City assistant general manager Rob Hennigan, who previously worked with the Spurs. Yahoo! reported the Spurs will approve Lindsey's interview very soon.

Weaver is the No. 2 executive in Oklahoma City and has helped rebuild the franchise during its move to Oklahoma City and this season's trip to the Western Conference finals. Lindsey has been with the Spurs for five years and he has turned down offers to interview for general manager jobs with Minnesota, Phoenix and Toronto.

Also, the Magic wants to interview former New Orleans Hornets general manager Jeff Bower, according the Orlando Sentinel.

The Magic fired general manager Otis Smith and coach Stan Van Gundy last Monday. It was part of a tumultuous season that included a trade demand by center Dwight Howard and friction between the team's star and the front office.

Since Smith became general manager in 2006, the Magic had the greatest run of success in franchise history and reached the NBA Finals for the second time in their history. In 2010, Smith was given the additional title of president of basketball operations.

Van Gundy, 51, served as coach for five years and compiled a 259-135 regular-season record. His teams made the playoffs five times and won three division titles and one Eastern Conference championship.

The new GM will have the opportunity to hire the next coach, according to Magic CEO Alex Martins.

--NBA great Shaquille O'Neal has declined an invitation to interview for the Orlando Magic's vacant general manager position.

O'Neal had earlier expressed interest in the job.

"When I first heard about the vacancy for the Orlando Magic general manager position, I was clearly intrigued," O'Neal said in a statement Thursday. "I was drafted by the Magic, I have a great love for the franchise, and I have made the city of Orlando my home. Additionally, I have great admiration and respect for the DeVos family.

"However, this is not a job I have an interest in pursuing. I feel very fortunate to be with TNT and to have the best job in sports. I look forward to many more years with Charles (Barkley), Kenny (Smith) and E.J. (Ernie Johnson). I wish the best for the Magic and I am confident that they will select a great GM and coach."

Magic officials told ESPN.com Wednesday night that they won't publicly discuss the process or timetable of their GM and coach searches. On Monday, the team fired coach Stan Van Gundy and GM Otis Smith.

O'Neal played for the Magic from 1992-96 and led the club to the NBA Finals in 1995.

--The Orlando Magic said so long to coach Stan Van Gundy and general manager Otis Smith on May 21.

The Magic announced the firings after a tumultuous season that included a trade demand by center Dwight Howard and friction between the team's star and the front office.

The move by Magic CEO Alex Martins and chairman Dan DeVos was not surprising, considering the clashes with Howard.

"On behalf of the DeVos family, we sincerely appreciate and thank Otis and Stan for all that they have done on and off the floor for the Orlando Magic," Martins said in a statement. "These are the days you dread in this business, but we feel it's time for new leadership and new voices. They both brought die-hard dedication and an unmatched work ethic on a daily basis. Their success is well documented.

"The disappointment of getting eliminated in the first round of the playoffs these past two seasons played a primary role in our decision, as we feel our momentum towards winning a championship has paused."

Van Gundy, 51, served as coach for five years and compiled a 259-135 regular-season record. His teams made the playoffs five times and won three division titles and one Eastern Conference championship.

Since Smith became general manager in 2006, the Magic had the greatest run of success in franchise history and reached the NBA Finals for the second time in their history. In 2010, Smith was given the additional title of president of basketball operations.

--Magic assistant coach Patrick Ewing, who appears to have a good chance of getting the head coaching job in Charlotte, got a ringing endorsement from Van Gundy. Ewing, who is close friends with Bobcats owner Michael Jordan, has been an NBA assistant for eight years, including the last five with Van Gundy in Orlando. The Bobcats were horrible last season and fired coach Paul Silas. "I think the guy will be a great head coach," Van Gundy said. "He'll focus on details and hold guys to a high standard. I can't believe it has taken this long for him."

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I showed the world what I could do." -- Forward Glen Davis, on his playoff performance.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Dwight Howard may have been a disruptive force all season with his attitude, but he remains the best center in the NBA and clearly is the team's finest player. If the Magic trade him, it will be impossible to get equal value. He led the league in rebounding again and he has improved each season in the league. If the Magic expect to be championship contenders, they must find a way to sign him to a long-term extension, because he is irreplaceable.

MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: Hedo Turkoglu, who was so important when the Magic reached the NBA Finals in 2010, played the season like he was closing his career. He lacked energy and the ability to make key plays anymore. The Magic traded to get him back early last season, believing he could be the player he once was, but he has struggled since his return. He has another year on his contract, but he is more of an anchor than a leader at this point.

BIGGEST NEED: The Magic need to have Howard committed to leading this team. If he is happy and healthy, they can put some new pieces around him. It would be good to have improvements at both small forward and shooting guard because both Hedo Turkoglu and Jason Richardson are past their primes. The Magic are over the salary cap, but if Howard is committed, they should be able to attract the right player with a mid-level exception.

FREE AGENT FOCUS: Forward Ryan Anderson will become a restricted free agent and the Magic sound committed to matching any offer to keep him. They have proven in previous years they will match offers with both J.J. Redick and Marcin Gortat, whom they later traded to Phoenix. Jameer Nelson has until June 15 to inform the Magic if he will opt out of the final year of his contract to become an unrestricted free agent. The Magic might let him walk if they can find a better point guard.

PLAYER NOTES:

--F Glen Davis is the one guy who really rose to the occasion when Dwight Howard went out and the playoffs began. Davis was disappointed about being a reserve through much of the season, but he certainly shined as a starter. It certainly has lit a fire under him, and he promises to return ready to help carry the team. He averaged 19 points and 9.2 rebounds in the playoffs. "I want to start. I want to be a leader for this team as we move forward," he said. "I'll be here working all summer. I want to put myself into position to take more responsibility. I want to be ready to play 40 minutes every night."

--F Earl Clark, after sitting much of the season, got significant playing time after Dwight Howard went out, and he showed flashes of what he can become -- a defensive stopper on the wing. Clark has a player option for the 2012-13 season. He just finished his third NBA season but is struggling to carve his niche. "I definitely want to be here. I don't want to be anywhere else," Clark said. "But (my contract status) is not really something I've given any thought to yet."

--G Jameer Nelson came to the Magic in the same draft as Dwight Howard (2004), and his career has been tied to Howard. Unfortunately, his consistency has been lacking through the years. Nelson has until June 15 to decide if he will exercise his option to become a free agent this summer or stick with the final year of his contract, paying him $7.8 million next season. He would like to see what the Magic do with Howard before he decides. "I can't make a decision until some of the other decisions are made around here," he said. "I want to be in the Orlando Magic uniform. I love being in this city."

MEDICAL WATCH:

--C Dwight Howard (herniated disc in back) had season-ending surgery in late April and is expected to be ready for the start of next season.