Magic coach Stan Van Gundy's revelation that Dwight Howard wants him fired was the dominant story in the NBA yesterday. Many, including a slight majority of Hoops Rumors readers, believe Van Gundy will be gone before the end of the season. Here's what's happening as the saga continues to unfold:
- Magic executives have been more open to the idea of firing Van Gundy than even Howard has as the team looks to build a cooperative relationship with its superstar, notes Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
- Howard also pushed the team to fire former coach Brian Hill, according to Ian O'Connor of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Van Gundy believes he'll finish the season as the Magic coach, HoopsWorld reports. He met with GM Otis Smith and Howard yesterday, the report states.
- The coach is expected to travel with the team to Philadelphia for its game with the Sixers tomorrow night, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com tweets, so it looks like Van Gundy's job is safe for the moment. Magic CEO Alex Martins doesn't want to make a change now, Berger also notes via Twitter.
- The Magic threatened Howard with a trade to the Lakers if he didn't opt in to his deal at the trading deadline, reports Fred Kerber of the New York Post. Despite the presence of the Lakers on his list of preferred teams, the Nets were far and away Howard's top choice, Kerber writes. The Magic favored the Lakers' offer of Andrew Bynum, Devin Ebanks and Steve Blake over New Jersey's package of Brook Lopez, MarShon Brooks, Mehmet Okur and two first-round picks.
- Howard and Van Gundy tried their best to deflect the glare of yesterday's events in their comments following last night's loss to the Knicks, notes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. While Howard simply declined to comment on the matter, Van Gundy tried to shift the topic to on-court matters when asked about his future with the team. “That’s not what’s important right now,” the coach said. “It’s not. My job security is not what’s important right now. What Dwight wants is not important. What’s important is that we focus on playing better as a team. That’s what is important.”
- J.J. Redick has Van Gundy's back, Kennedy also reports.
- On ESPN.com's Daily Dime, Zach McCann says the Magic locker room might be beyond repair now, with some players frustrated with Howard's power plays and others in agreement with D12 that it's time for Van Gundy to go. McCann also mentions assistants Brendan Malone and Patrick Ewing as possible interim replacements should the Magic let Van Gundy go this season.
- Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News calls on the Nets to end their pursuit of Howard in light of how he's tried to undermine his coach.
- Tom Ziller, writing for SBNation.com, says that the Magic would have been better off trading Howard at the deadline, despite his willingness to stick around for another season.
- Lang Greene of HoopsWorld gathers a few more reactions from around the league.
“Threaten him with a trade to the Lakers”? That’s like my parents threatening to trade me to Bill Gates’ family. Howard has made this situation messier than anyone could have thought.
D12 have to go; he is really a show…… how it is possible that a profesional mind can think in that way, and putting the NBA like a freak circus show….. he need some mults