Van Gundy calls out Magic ownership for employee layoffs
Stan Van Gundy called out his former employer for laying off 31 Orlando Magic employees due to financial issues caused by coronavirus pandemic.
Van Gundy, who previously coached the Magic and currently is an analyst for Turner’s coverage of the league on TNT and NBA TV, reacted to former Magic staff writer John Denton’s Twitter post announcing he was among those laid off by the team.
The former coach sarcastically replied, “These layoffs just couldn’t be avoided. The DeVos family that owns the Magic only has a net worth of about $5 BILLION. They just couldn’t afford to continue to pay all of their employees.”
The Orlando Magic acknowledged Saturday the organization laid off 31 full-time employees from a staff of about 300 workers.
“Our business, as well as many others like us, are significantly impacted due to COVID-19,” Magic CEO Alex Martins wrote in a statement confirming the departures. “We have had to make some very difficult business decisions in these unprecedented times. Due to this reality we have had to make the very hard decision to evaluate our overall structure, reorganize and reduce our headcount.
“Throughout our evaluation process, our top priority has been to preserve as many jobs as possible. We regret to confirm that the jobs of several of our colleagues have been eliminated, due to an organizational restructure and reduction in staff.”
Van Gundy has long been outspoken on social justice issues, but he only set up a Twitter account a few weeks ago. He has since been prolific sharing his opinions, sprinkling in some basketball commentary amid his posts primarily focused on the country’s response the coronavirus pandemic, voting rights, racism, inequality and gun control.
The response to the Magic layoffs was not the first time he has blasted the DeVos family.
When U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos — who is married to Dick DeVos, brother of Magic chairman Dan DeVos — was interviewed on CNN discussing requiring the reopening of schools in the fall despite spikes in COVID-19 cases, Van Gundy responded, “Oh she has always had a plan — to destroy public education in this country.”