Rob Murphy Spurns Orlando Magic Offer, Stays At EMU

$210,000 is a lot of money, especially when that's what you're being asked to pay someone. That sounds like it was a big part of the reason why former Syracuse Orange assistant Rob Murphy has decided to forgo the opportunity to work with the Orlando Magic and stay with the Eastern Michigan Eagles as their head coach.

Murphy, 39, agreed to accept a scouting job with the NBA's Orlando Magic on Tuesday. However, he would have been required to pay EMU $210,000 — his base salary for one year — to break his contract.

Murphy sent out a kinda-cryptic, third-person tweet just before the announcement and then included a quote in the official school announcement:

"I would like to end the speculation about my leaving Eastern Michigan University," said Murphy. "I am pleased to confirm that I am remaining at EMU as the head coach of the men's basketball program. Our Athletic Director, Dr. Derrick Gragg, has worked diligently with me to insure that we are continuing on the path of building a strong foundation for our basketball program. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity which EMU has provided me and my family and very appreciative of the unwavering support of our Board of Regents, students, fans and community. I am eager to return the focus of discussion to the tasks at hand: graduating our student-athletes, building our basketball program and representing the EMU community in a manner which will evoke both pride and passion for our university. Our team and coaching staff are tirelessly preparing to begin the academic year along with the coming basketball season. Moving forward this will be our focus."

Well, there you go. Murphy returns to coach a program on the rise and now everybody knows that an NBA franchise thinks he's so good that they want to hire him away. If Murphy can turn in another solid season there, he'll be able to afford that buyout next year...