Donovan offered $6M per to coach Magic

[SoCalwarrior]

Source: Donovan offered $6M per to coach Magic
ESPN.com news services

After weeks of waiting for the University of Florida to finalize his new seven-year contract, the Orlando Magic have entered Billy Donovan's world and given him another substantial offer to ponder.
After leading the Gators to the last two national championships, the 42-year-old Donovan has received a contract offer from the Magic worth $6 million annually, a source told ESPN.com's Pat Forde.
Team officials told the Orlando Sentinel, which first reported the story on its Web site, that Donovan is expected to take the job.
When asked about the job Wednesday, Donovan told the Sentinel he had not spoken with the Magic. Donovan had not contacted Florida athletics director Jeremy Foley as of Thursday afternoon to say whether he's accepted the job, a source close to the situation told ESPN.com.
Donovan's new contract at Florida -- it was presented to him on May 17 but he had yet to sign it as of May 25 -- was to pay him around $3 million in the first year. The contract then was to escalate to more than $3.75 in guaranteed income by the end of the contract in 2013-14, a person familiar with the negotiations told ESPN.com
The 42-year-old Donovan is one of only 12 college basketball coaches to win multiple national championships. The Gators won their second straight in April after beating Ohio State.
The Magic removed Brian Hill as coach on May 23 after two consecutive losing seasons and a first-round sweep in this year's playoffs.
Information from ESPN.com's Andy Katz and Mark Schlabach was used in this report.

[CWSKeith]

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting this as just about a done deal.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/orl-magic0107june01,0,2210050.story?coll=orl-home-headlines

[ChicosBailBonds]

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting this as just about a done deal.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/orl-magic0107june01,0,2210050.story?coll=orl-home-headlines

That's an interesting domino to fall.  No way Florida could match that offer so if Donovan goes, it's about the cash.  I think he's a lunatic for going...but I guess some people want the challenge to prove they can do it.

[NYWarrior]

  I think he's a lunatic for going...but I guess some people want the challenge to prove they can do it.

I think he'd be a lunatic to turn down $6M 

Travis Ford, come on down to Gainesville.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Lon Kruger?

[ChicosBailBonds]

  I think he's a lunatic for going...but I guess some people want the challenge to prove they can do it.

I think he'd be a lunatic to turn down $6M 

Travis Ford, come on down to Gainesville.

$3.75million vs $6million....seems neglible to me when you factor in that in the NBA you have to deal with the salary cap, players making more than you, etc.   He'll be out of the NBA in 5 years if the trend holds, but best of luck to him.

Is Travis Ford a big enough name for them?  Maybe now we see the Izzo so Florida, Crean to MSU scenario.  Who knows.

[NYWarrior]

$3.75million vs $6million....seems neglible to me when you factor in that in the NBA you have to deal with the salary cap, players making more than you, etc.   He'll be out of the NBA in 5 years if the trend holds, but best of luck to him.

$2.25M is negligible?  That's major cash.  Worst case?  He goes back to college ala Pitino or Tim Floyd - - which AD in their right mind would not go try to hire Donovan if he failed in the NBA?

Fail miserably or succeed in the NBA --either way, Donovan has the golden ticket.  Pitino is the shining example for him.

[77ncaachamps]

Two things:

1) This is insane! How many successful college coaches have been successful NBA coaches? NOT MANY!!! Larry Brown comes to mind...but NBA professional EGOS are another thing.

2) This will really impact Arkansas's search!!! LOL!!!

[NYWarrior]

How many successful college coaches have been successful NBA coaches? NOT MANY!!! Larry Brown comes to mind...but NBA professional EGOS are another thing.

I think the last college coach to make the successful jump to the NBA (other than Larry Brown) was Chuck Daly from Penn - - but he spent a couple of seasons as an assistant before taking over the Pistons.

[ChicosBailBonds]

$3.75million vs $6million....seems neglible to me when you factor in that in the NBA you have to deal with the salary cap, players making more than you, etc.   He'll be out of the NBA in 5 years if the trend holds, but best of luck to him.

$2.25M is negligible?  That's major cash.  Worst case?  He goes back to college ala Pitino or Tim Floyd - - which AD in their right mind would not go try to hire Donovan if he failed in the NBA?

Fail miserably or succeed in the NBA --either way, Donovan has the golden ticket.  Pitino is the shining example for him.

Neglible in the sense that if he's at Florida for 10 years at $3.75 per that's $37.5 million.

If he's out of the NBA in 5 years (which seems par for the course) at $6 per that's $30 million.  Even if he's in the NBA for 7 years, that's $42 million and a lot more headaches.

I can't seem him ever being fired from Florida, not in the next 10 years....I could see him out in the NBA sooner rather than later.

[NYWarrior]

I can't seem him ever being fired from Florida, not in the next 10 years....I could see him out in the NBA sooner rather than later.

Right, and when he's fired in the NBA he will return to college coaching (at around age 48) as the highest paid coach in the country.

Leaving for the NBA is all upside for Donovan (particularly when u consider how rotten the East is now -- and will continue to be thx to the Lottery results.  Donovan has Howard to build around too; a pretty good place to start in the NBA right now)

[ecompt]

Can't see how he can turn that down, especially when you look at the teams he'll be coaching against in the East and the guaranteed money. Three-to-five years in the NBA and he'll be ready to save some college franchise.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I can't seem him ever being fired from Florida, not in the next 10 years....I could see him out in the NBA sooner rather than later.

Right, and when he's fired in the NBA he will return to college coaching (at around age 48) as the highest paid coach in the country.

Leaving for the NBA is all upside for Donovan (particularly when u consider how rotten the East is now -- and will continue to be thx to the Lottery results.  Donovan has Howard to build around too; a pretty good place to start in the NBA right now)

Yeah, I can't disagree with those viewpoints, they are all accurate.  Personally, I just wouldn't want to deal with 82 games, all the travel, the baby wipe players and their attitudes, the salary cap, etc.  He's got Florida on auto-pilot now.  Recruits come to him.  That's just me.

I do feel he has left Florida in a bit of lerch on this in terms of replacement

[Nukem2]

Its an awful lot of money to turn down and it would be hard to followup on two consecutive NCAA championships in a meaningful way.  Hard to criticize this move.

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

Lon Kruger?

Again?

[NateDoggMarq]

Not a bad gig for Donovan as he gets to stay in Central Florida and get an NBA Job

[mu_hilltopper]

And here we go.. from the seattlepi.com:

The buzz later in the afternoon of course was the Billy Donovan-Orlando Magic deal and it was funny because Marquette coach Tom Crean walked right next to me before the night session of the predraft games and looked relaxed and cool. But he is probably going to be the Gators' No. 1 choice to replace Donovan.

[NYWarrior]

And here we go.. from the seattlepi.com:

The buzz later in the afternoon of course was the Billy Donovan-Orlando Magic deal and it was funny because Marquette coach Tom Crean walked right next to me before the night session of the predraft games and looked relaxed and cool. But he is probably going to be the Gators' No. 1 choice to replace Donovan.

I bet UF pushes like heck to get TC....wouldnt surprise me if he took it (as chico's points out below - - if Grant is not already their guy)

[ChicosBailBonds]

And here we go.. from the seattlepi.com:

The buzz later in the afternoon of course was the Billy Donovan-Orlando Magic deal and it was funny because Marquette coach Tom Crean walked right next to me before the night session of the predraft games and looked relaxed and cool. But he is probably going to be the Gators' No. 1 choice to replace Donovan.

I bet UF pushes like heck to get TC....wouldnt surprise me if he took it

I'm going with the VCU coach.  He's "hot" and a Gator, but at this point nothing surprises me.   Cue the responses from posters X, Y, Z that "Florida would never offer their job to Tom Crean" in 4, 3, 2, .....

[NYWarrior]

Grant is the hottest name - - fits the region too & was an assistant at UF

[mviale]

I think this is Calipari or Jay Wright's job

[Niv Berkowitz]

This will all work itself out like all college coaches jumping.

He'll leave for insane cash. Fail. Be back in D-1 ball in five years, and make more than he would have if he stayed at Florida. And, he stays in Florida. It's a no-brainer for him to go.

[MUsoxfan]

Can't see how he can turn that down, especially when you look at the teams he'll be coaching against in the East and the guaranteed money. Three-to-five years in the NBA and he'll be ready to save some college franchise.

Florida will be begging to have him back.   I give him 2.5 seasons in the NBA. 

[Chili]

Earlier at the NBA pre-draft camp in Orlando, Memphis coach John Calipari and Marquette coach Tom Crean both said they are not candidates for the position. If Florida were to go outside of the family, meaning not VCU's Anthony Grant, then Villanova's Jay Wright is expected to be on the radar.




http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2888555

[spiral97]

I don't see Crean going to Florida.  Donovan's accomplishments there are a tough act to follow and if you think the Kentucky fans were rabid, watch what the Florida fans start doing if Donovan's replacement doesn't bring in yet another NCAA championship in the next two seasons.  Yes, Florida will be begging Donovan to come back (and implicitly for his replacement to be let go).  Crean thinks in the long term career-wise.  Very doubtful he'd be up for a 2 and done gig somewhere (no 1 and done NCAA tourney jokes please).

[mviale]

"Florida has always been an excellent job," Crean said at the NBA draft combine in Orlando. "(But) I'm happy at Marquette."