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The 2008-09 Magic lost in the finals, but despite that defeat, they rank as one of the most innovative teams in recent league history because of the way they played, how coach Stan Van Gundy deployed players and how GM Otis Smith built the roster. These days, basketball coaches, executives and fans consider the 3-point shot and stretch power forwards as necessary components to successful teams. But 11 seasons ago, heavy reliance on long-range shooting still was gaining acceptance. That Magic team helped transform conventional wisdom because it proved, for the first time, that a team could rely on the 3-pointer heavily, downsize its lineup for a full 48 minutes and win a conference title at the same time. “A lot of teams are playing small ball and spread the floor, a lot of big men in pick-and-roll, pop-and-shoot,” Lewis says now. “We were one of the trendsetters of it.”
When they learned about a burglary that took place in February at Parramore’s Wells’Built Museum of African American History and Culture, where Magic memorabilia was stolen, the team quickly sprang into action and lent a helping hand. Although extremely disheartened about the incident, the Magic saw an opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade. Not only did they help repair the damage from the break-in, the Magic replaced the stolen items, which included Nick Anderson and Otis Smith jerseys and sneakers, with even more mementos.
Former Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith has met with Sacramento Kings officials about the franchise's vacant Vice President of Basketball Operations job, league sources told ESPN. The Kings are searching for a new No. 2 executive to report to general manager Vlade Divac.
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Detroit Pistons Head Coach and President of Basketball Operations Stan Van Gundy announced today promotions and restructuring within the basketball operations staff. Pat Garrity has been promoted to assistant general manager, Andrew Loomis to chief of staff and Bob Beyer to associate head coach. Otis Smith joins the Pistons’ staff as director of player development/assistant coach while assistant coach Brendan Malone will transition to a special assignment scout, residing in New York. Quentin Richardson is leaving the organization for personal reasons.
The Pistons hold the option for the 22-year-old's contract next year, and Drive coach Otis Smith said the second-year guard out of Colorado can determine his future. "If you asked him today, he'd say they're not going to pick it up," Smith said. "But I'm not too sure. I think it's still up in the air. I think it depends on how much work he's willing to put in and get better. Not only physically, but mentally." Dinwiddie's attitude "is great," Smith added, "and he's more cerebral than we give him credit for. But he sees and thinks himself into a corner sometimes and you have to help him through that process and call him out on it. You have to talk to him a lot."
Smith, 51, insists he harbors no ill will toward the franchise. "I don't know why it would leave a bitter taste in my mouth," he said. "I think I decided I was going to walk out of the door one day almost the same way I walked in and never be heard from again. And pretty much until this point in time, that's been the truth. I kind of walked in almost the same way. "It was the DeVoses' keys. When they decide to ask for them and they want them, they can get them. Or else if I didn't see things running the way I thought it should run, then I was going to walk out the door. I thought it ended the way it should have."
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Smith was named coach of the Drive last week in what was a Detroit-Grand Rapids game of match the personnel with the title. Smith, formerly the general manager of the Magic, will take on his first professional coaching job, and it will be under Van Gundy, who was a coach and under Smith in Orlando before he was named the president and head coach of the Pistons in May. Adding to the twist, Smith also interviewed to be general manager of the Pistons, a position Van Gundy eventually gave to another long-time associate Jeff Bower. That makes an interesting mix of 50-somethings. But not strange bedfellows, the three said. “I think Otis’ interest in being the (Pistons) GM was more because of me and how he could help me,” Van Gundy said. “He was much more enthusiastic about this opportunity than he would have been to be the GM. People look at that and say, you’re crazy. But I think this is more of Otis’ passion. It’s always been working and developing players for him and that fits perfectly with what we want to do (in Grand Rapids).”
Bower, 53, adds another element. He was a coach last season at Marist before named in early June the Pistons GM. A former assistant general manager with the New Orleans Hornets, Bower said he has known Smith for years, through his association with Van Gundy, and did not consider his hiring a threat. “When Stan talked to me, I thought he was the perfect guy because he embodies everything that the developmental league is all about,” Bower said. “He’s great for this. It (the NBA-D League) is about getting the best out of guys.”
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