Orlando Magic likely to lose Stan Van Gundy to Kings

Former Miami Heat coach Stan Van Gundy arrived Wednesday in Sacramento, according to an NBA source, and appears to be on the verge of becoming the next coach of the Kings.Van Gundy, who had been linked for days to the Orlando Magic coaching vacancy that Billy Donovan initially accepted and then bypassed in favor of a return to the University of Florida, previously had met twice with Kings management and ownThe Kings fired Eric Musselman after one year with the team at the end of the season.Van Gundy had been non-committal as recently as Tuesday regarding the vacancies in Orlando and Sacramento.However, once the Heat requested compensation from the Magic, those talks hit a roadblock.Tuesday, upon his return from an overseas trip, coach Pat Riley, in his dual role as Heat president, stepped in with a compensation claim, with Van Gundy still under contract to the Heat through June 2008.Riley is not believed to be seeking a similar compensation from Sacramento, with the Kings scheduled to face the Heat only twice a season, as opposed to the four games a season Orlando plays the Heat as a Southeast Division rival.Generally, assistant coaches are free to pursue higher-level positions without compensation. However, when Van Gundy stepped aside for Riley in December 2005, he already was working under a coaching contract.Riley generally has been more willing to allow his staff to depart for positions in the Western Conference, as was the case with former Heat assistant Jeff Bzdelik surfacing in Denver and former Heat assistant Marc Iavaroni taking a similar position in Phoenix. Bzdelik later became coach of the Nuggets, while Iavaroni last week was named coach of the Grizzlies.Van Gundy joined the Heat as an assistant coach on Sept. 20, 1995 and took over from Riley as coach on Oct. 24, 2003. He left as Heat coach December 12, 2005, citing family reasons, after recording a 112-73 record in his two-plus seasons as coach.Had Riley been softer in his stance with the Magic, it is possible the Heat could have secured one or more second-round picks from the Orlando. The Heat does not currently hold a second-round pick in the June 28 NBA Draft.It is unlikely the Magic would have considered a Heat request for a future first-round pick, with Orlando not holding a pick in that round this year.Ira Winderman can be reached at iwinderman@sun-sentinel.com.