lonestar Posted June 4, 2007 Report Posted June 4, 2007 Billy Donovan wants to leave the Magic and go back to the Gators!More on Sportscenter after the Yankees-Red Sox game.
KFDM COOP Posted June 4, 2007 Report Posted June 4, 2007 Donovan may be in talks with Florida about return Billy Donovan informed the Magic and the University of Florida over the weekend that he had second thoughts about agreeing to be Orlando's head coach, but it's unclear if the NBA team will let him go.Orlando has a signed contract from Donovan and are making a decision as to whether or not to let him out of the five-year, $27.5 million deal that he signed Thursday, multiple sources told ESPN.com Sunday.If the Magic do let Donovan out of the deal, they have to decide whether to enforce a financial penalty. Both sides aren't talking publicly since there are legal issues involved in such a decision. Donovan's hiring on Thursday prompted the sale of 200 Magic season tickets by Friday afternoon. Magic communications director Joel Glass confirmed that number after Friday's news conference introducing Donovan to a standing ovation from the entire on-site Magic organization at the RDV Sportsplex in Orlando. Losing Donovan as coach would likely be a public relations hit to a franchise that needed a pop.Donovan is coming off winning back-to-back national titles at Florida, the first time that has occurred since Duke did it in 1991-92. Donovan, who turned 42 Wednesday, agonized over the decision to accept the Magic offer after first being approached last week. Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley flew to Richmond, Va., on Saturday to meet with Donovan's former assistant, VCU head coach Anthony Grant, about the opening. But multiple sources confirmed that the plane was on the ground for less than an hour. Foley left without Grant aboard.Over the weekend, multiple sources said Grant was the top choice but that both he and Donovan wanted to make sure that all of their respective staffs were taken care of before any move was made. Multiple sources said that the decision now rests in the hands of the Magic. A final decision could come as early as Monday.On Friday, Donovan was emphatic about why he ultimately made the choice. He said that he wanted a new challenge and saw the proximity to his home in Gainesville and the young stars on the Magic roster like Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson as well as $10-13 million in salary cap space as a primary reason for jumping at this job. Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
KFDM COOP Posted June 4, 2007 Report Posted June 4, 2007 Should have never wanted to leave in the first place!!!
Guest DickVitale Posted June 4, 2007 Report Posted June 4, 2007 This is all in his plan!!! See, he wanted to show his recruits he would leave the NBA for them, so they should not enter the draft for HIM....BRILLIANT!!! ;D
KFDM COOP Posted June 5, 2007 Report Posted June 5, 2007 Magic will let him out!http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/6883162
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