NBA roundup: Orlando fires coach Van Gundy, GM Smith
The Orlando Magic said so long to coach Stan Van Gundy and general manager Otis Smith on Monday.
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.
---Jeremy Lin's return to the New York Knicks appears fairly certain, but he'll be a restricted free agent this summer and his agent cautioned that there are no guarantees that he wouldn't be tempted by an offer from another team.
"I don't expect that. We're not anticipating that's going to happen. We don't have assurances of anything," Lin's agent, Roger Montgomery, told the New York Post. "I know history shows most restricted free agents go back to their team, but I'm not going to assume anything. We're waiting to see what happens."
The Knicks will be able to match any offer that the point guard receives.
--- NBA Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers was one of 13 players named Monday to the USA men's select team that will practice against the national team in preparation for the Summer Olympics.
The team's co-coaches will be former Toronto Raptors coach Jay Triano and longtime Syracuse assistant Mike Hopkins.
Joining Irving are John Wall of the Washington Wizards, Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks, Taj Gibson of the Chicago Bulls, DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings, Paul George of the Indiana Pacers, Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors of the Utah Jazz, Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors, Kawhi Leonard and DeJuan Blair of the San Antonio Spurs, Ryan Anderson of the Orlando Magic and DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors.
---An announcement that the Golden State Warriors plan to move to San Francisco could come this week, according to several reports.
The team is committed to moving, ESPN.com reported, and owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber have not denied that they're interest in relocating from Oakland.
A news conference could be held as early as Tuesday, a source indicated in a report to Fastbreak, a Warriors fan blog.
The Warriors' current Oracle Arena lease extends through the 2016-17 season, which means the move likely wouldn't be made until the 2017-18 season.
