Orlando Magic Leadership Media Availability

HowardtheDunk.com

On Tuesday morning, the Magic made Bob Vander Weide, Alex Martins and Otis Smith available to the media to announce the promotions of Martins and Smith and the extension of Head Coach Stan Van Gundy’s contract through the 2012-2013 season. Van Gundy is vacationing with his family and was unavailable.

After the jump, you can read a recap of Tuesday morning’s presser.

• Bob Vander Weide opened things up by discussing just how instrumental both Alex Martins and Otis Smith have been in the pursuit of a championship, citing their on (the 2009 Finals run and 2010 Eastern Conference Finals run) and off the court (The new Amway Center, charities, etc…) as the reason for their promotions.
• Smith was promoted to President of Basketball Operations while Martins to Team President.
• Vander Weide said that neither executive’s role will change much.
• Vander Weide joked about Van Gundy, saying “Stan as you all know, loves to spend time with the media but he’s on vacation with his family – a well deserved rest.  He certainly will take phone calls and questions whenever you would like.”
• “It’s all about winning on the court but it’s also all about the people leading,” Vander Weide explained. “Not only the team but the team of people that make up an organization like this.”
• Vander Weide said he didn’t wear socks “in honor of David Twardzik.” Twardzik is Orlando’s Assistant General Manager.
• “It’s natural to extend and promote from within based on performance,” Vander Weide told reporters. “And these folks have performed very well.”
• He went on to say the Magic were “willing to put dollars, energy, time and effort into it from every aspect.”
• Smith and Martins have been working together for over 20 years. They first spent time together when Martins was a young executive and Smith was a young player on the very first Magic team.
• “It’s been great to grow up in the organization with him as my partner,” Martins told reporters.
• Martins called the Magic the “best ownership group in professional sports.”
• “They give us the resources and they allow us to do our jobs with the great staff that we have here,” ‘Martins said. “I don’t think Otis or I or the rest of this organization would be able to be as successful as we’ve been without this ownership group in place.”
• Martins called his staff “the greatest staff in the NBA and all of professional sports.”
• Everyone had good things to say about each other and it seems like the executives really get along with each other.
• Vander Weide and Martins talked about holding up “that gold trophy.”
• According to Vander Weide, the Magic won’t have a problem taking on more money if it means improving the team.
• As expected, no one would talk about Chris Paul.
• Smith said he is more concerned with how to beat teams like Miami and the Los Angeles Lakers then he is with his title or the promotion.
• You can watch the complete press conference here.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, a contributor on the Fansided Front Page, and co-host of CB Sports Radio from 5-7 pm week days (1420sports.com). Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here.)

Tags: alex martins, bob vander weide, Orlando Magic, otis smith, rich de vos, Stan Van Gundy