Donovan leaves Gators to coach Magic

Billy Donovan is leaving the Gators, hoping he isn’t done winning titles in Florida.

Donovan, 42, agreed to become coach of the Orlando Magic on Thursday, taking a five-year, $27.5-million contract, an NBA official told the Associated Press.

After winning the last two NCAA championships at Florida, Donovan is set to join the core of those Gators teams in the pros.

In other coaching changes, the Memphis Grizzlies hired Phoenix assistant Marc Iavaroni, 50. The Indiana Pacers chose Jim O’Brien, 55, to replace Rick Carlisle.

Iavaroni has been a leading candidate to land a head-coaching job for some time because many teams want to imitate the Suns’ up-tempo style. But his hiring was trumped hours later by the news from Orlando.

Donovan turned down an offer in April to coach Kentucky, saying at the time he intended to sign a contract extension. Instead, he replaces Brian Hill, who was fired after two consecutive losing seasons in Orlando.

*

Steve Kerr will be hired as president and general manager of the Phoenix Suns, a person with knowledge of the hiring said.

Kerr can’t officially take the job until he completes his obligations as an analyst for TNT during the playoffs. He is expected to be introduced at a news conference next week, said a person close to the situation who asked not to be identified because the official announcement had not been made.

Kerr is a close friend of Suns owner Robert Sarver and owns a small piece of the team. He would replace Mike D’Antoni, who holds the titles of general manager and head coach. The move will allow D’Antoni to concentrate on coaching.

*

The Charlotte Bobcats hired Rod Higgins, Michael Jordan’s former teammate and aide, as general manager, a move that nearly re-creates Jordan’s staff with the Washington Wizards.

Higgins served as Golden State’s general manager the last three seasons. Before that, Higgins was the Wizards’ assistant GM when Jordan ran the team from 2000 to 2003.

Higgins and Jordan became friends as teammates in Chicago during Jordan’s rookie season in 1984-85.