Magic Shaking Things Up in Offseason

After being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Indiana Pacers, the Magic has shaken things up for the team already this offseason.  After a very rocky season with Dwight Howard asking to be traded the Magic has decided to end the rough season by firing head coach Stan Van Gundy and parting ways with General Manager Otis Smith.  Tension between Van Gundy and the Magic arose during the season when he claimed that team officials told him that Howard asked management to fire Van Gundy, in which Howard denied all allegations.  Smith and Van Gundy are both still under contract through next year and both contracts will be honored by the Magic organization.  Van Gundy ended his career with the Magic with a 259-135 record through his 5 seasons and a 31-28 record in the playoffs.

CEO Alex Martins stated, "It's time for a new leadership and a new approach.  We simply came to the decision that we were not on the right track."

Although Dwight denied the claims of trying to get Van Gundy fired, it makes you wonder whether he really has that much pull with the Magic organization with the firing of Van Gundy coming right after the season and right before Howard decides whether he will sign a long term contract with the Magic.  Just something to make you go hmmm.

UPDATE:  Sources close to NBA Analyst Chris Broussard that Shaquille O'Neal will be meeting with the Magic as soon as next week about the General Manager position.  O'Neal began his NBA career with the Magic, playing for the organization from 1992-1996, and later played under head coach Stan Van Gundy while playing with the Miami Heat, in which O'Neal had a little to do with Pat Riley deciding to fire Van Gundy as the head coach of the Heat.  With O'Neal having pull with getting Van Gundy fired it's starting to be not so far fetch that maybe Howard had something to do with Van Gundy getting fired from the Magic.