Stan Van Gundy met with Kings but chose Magic
ESPN.com
Looks like Stan Van Gundy couldn't be swayed by the Kings.
Although the former Miami Heat coach was in Sacramento to talk with the Kings about their head coaching vacancy, Van Gundy accepted the Orlando Magic coaching job, numerous sources told ESPN's Jim Gray late Wednesday night.
Van Gundy was reportedly offered the Magic coaching job on Tuesday, but that didn't stop him from flying out to Sacramento on Wednesday to continue that courtship.
Van Gundy spent the day touring the area and meeting with Kings officials for further discussions about becoming their head coach, the team confirmed.
NBA coaching sources told ESPN.com that Van Gundy, who interviewed twice with the Kings, and his wife were picked up in a private jet and flown to the city.
Van Gundy, a Northern California native, was expected to meet with Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie, who just returned to Sacramento from a pre-draft camp in Orlando.
Eric Musselman was fired by Sacramento at the end of the season after only one campaign in which the Kings didn't make the playoffs for the first time in eight years.
The Orlando Sentinel reported on Tuesday night that the Magic have offered their head coaching job to Van Gundy. Orlando released Billy Donovan from his five-year, $27.5 million deal late Wednesday. The Magic might still have to deal with Van Gundy's own contract complications.
Van Gundy is under contract with the Heat as a consultant for one more season. He was replaced as coach midway through the 2005-06 season by team president Pat Riley, who led the team to their only championship.
Riley has the right to ask for compensation to release Van Gundy, and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported on Wednesday night that the Heat will receive a second-round pick from Orlando in the June 28 NBA draft, plus other considerations. Further details were not available.
According to sources, Riley would not have asked for compensation if Van Gundy was hired to coach a Western Conference team, but he will remain in the Southeast Division with the Heat.
The Kings have interviewed several candidates to replace Musselman, but Van Gundy and Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis are the only candidates who received invitations for second interviews in Las Vegas last week, where both met with Petrie and owners Joe and Gavin Maloof at the Maloofs' casino.
Van Gundy grew up in Martinez, Calif., a Bay Area town about 60 miles from Sacramento.
Sources have told ESPN.com that the Magic wanted to act quickly to try to hire Van Gundy and mitigate the public relations damage done when Donovan asked out of his five-year contract. It indicated Orlando doesn't think that negotiations with Riley and the Heat would be as daunting as those with the former Florida coach.
Reached at his home Tuesday night by The Associated Press, Van Gundy declined comment when asked if either the Magic or Kings had made him any contract offers.
Riley was traveling and unavailable for comment, according to a Heat official.