Coach Stan Van Gundy, GM Smith out as Magic clean house

The Orlando Magic fired head coach Stan Van Gundy and general manager Otis Smith per team's statement announced Monday afternoon.

Van Gundy was head coach of the Magic for five seasons, going 259-135 during the regular season. Orlando reached the playoffs in all five seasons of his tenure with a 31-28 mark including three Southeast Division titles, 2009 Eastern Conference Finals Championship and a 2009 NBA Finals appearance, losing to the eventual champion LA Lakers in six games.

The Magic were ousted by the Pacers in the first round after going 37-29 in the shortened 66-game season. All-star center Dwight Howard missed the end of the season due to back surgery.

The firing marks a bizzare end to the season. In April, Van Gundy himself said that Howard went to management and asked for him to be fired and would no longer play for the coach.

Howard has since denied that claim.

GM Smith leaves the Magic organization after six years. He was the architect behind the Magic's 2009 playoff run that garnered them the Eastern Conference Champions and an NBA Finals berth, the first since 1995.

Smith drew criticism after signing then-Magic Rashad Lewis to a six-year $118 million deal in 2008, which made Lewis one of the highest-paid forwards in the NBA.

Smith also dealt Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee, Tony Battie to New Jersey for Ryan Anderson and aging Vince Carter.

Carter never panned out with the Magic as they hoped and was shipped to Phoenix for Jason Richardson and Earl Clark and brought back fan-favorite Hedo Turkoglu after his brief stint with the Raptors.

Smith drew more flak for trading Lewis to the Washington Wizards for Gilbert Arenas, who was in the middle of an $111 million contract. The team used the amnesty clause in the new collective bargaining agreement to waive him and be financially cleared.

Van Gundy arrived to Orlando in 2007 after the team failed to get Florida's Billy Donovan. Donovan agreed to be Magic coach but had second thoughts and returned to college basketball. The Magic went to great lengths to woo Van Gundy, who was in line for the Sacramento coaching gig but called the Magic his first-choice.