7:43pm: According to Mike Prada of SBNation (Twitter link), Van Gundy confirmed to TNT's David Aldridge that he's known all season that Howard wanted him fired.
5:51pm: CBSSports.com's Ken Berger writes that there's no chance Van Gundy will be back as head coach of the Magic next season.
3:13pm: Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski writes that Howard's attempts to get Van Gundy fired are just the latest development in a power struggle between the coach and star center.
11:34am: A source close to Van Gundy tells Wojnarowski that Howard has asked the Magic to fire Van Gundy multiple times since last summer (Twitter link).
11:17am: Just moments after Van Gundy spoke to reporters in Orlando, Howard talked to the same group, including Howard Beck of the New York Times (Twitter link), and denied that he'd asked management to fire the coach.
11:06am: Van Gundy told reporters, including Josh Robbins (Twitter link), that Howard has indeed asked Magic management to fire Van Gundy. This is a pretty surprising development — not just that Howard actually made the request, but that Van Gundy would publicly acknowledge it.
9:01am: During the height of the pre-deadline Dwight Howard drama, a report surfaced that suggested Howard had been offered the opportunity to determine the fates of GM Otis Smith and coach Stan Van Gundy if he re-signed. The Magic quickly released a statement denying it, but with Howard locked into his contract for another year, the rumors persist.
David Pingalore of WKMG Local 6 in Orlando reported this week that Howard has conveyed to Magic ownership that he'd like a coaching change, and won't consider a contract extension unless the team fires Van Gundy this offseason. Magic owner Rich DeVos told Pingalore that Howard won't be given that type of decision-making power, though the team will seek his input on any major decisions.
"He can't make those decisions and choices," DeVos said. "We will make those, but we will let him know what we are making and we want his opinion on what fits and doesn't fit."
Orlando CEO Alex Martins echoed that sentiment to Joshua Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, noting that the futures of Van Gundy and Smith, who are both under contract through 2012/13, won't be discussed until after the season. The Magic didn't make any specific promises to Howard when he waived his early termination option, according to Martins.
SI.com's Chris Mannix tweets that the Magic will do "whatever it takes" to placate Howard over the next year. If that means firing Van Gundy, they'll do it, says Mannix. In a separate tweet, Mannix adds that several rival executives believe the Magic coach would be highly coveted if he were to find himself out of work in Orlando.
I think Mannix is right that the Magic will give strong consideration to Howard's opinion. If Orlando makes a deep playoff run, it would be hard to justify firing Van Gundy, but if D12 pushes for it, I think it'll happen. What we don't know yet is whether or not that's what Dwight wants — hopefully he won't be quite as indecisive on this topic as he was on his contract situation.
This isn’t McDonalds or the space center or an office job this is the NBA its professional sports and the people don’t come to see the coach they come to see the players and If Dwight Howard really wants Van Gundy fired the Magic if they want to keep Dwight should do it and not just because Howard wants him gone but because he isn’t a great coach! Mike Bianca says he is one of the best 4 in the NBA please Mike Bianca needs a drug test for that comment and many others he makes! Van Gundy does not use he’s players properly and he cannot get them to play defense when they have the best defensive center in the NBA! Its time for a chance and Don’t feel sorry for Stan he is one of the best 30 coaches in the NBA maybe the Clippers or the Kings or Nets could use him. He won’t be on the shelf long if he is let go so do it now and maybe we will have a chance in this years playoffs!
The name Van Gundy .. means idiot in Dutch or German doesn’t it?? Between Jeff and Stan, the only thing they resemble is Laurel and Hardy comedy duo.. maybe they should consider teaming up for some remakes… whenever Jeff is yakking through a game, I turn the sound off; competence in their family ended with their old man…
Dumb comment…
agree 100% to overrated blabbering idiots…
*two
I think I’d wait till the season ends and trade Dwight and Jameer to the knicks for Chandler and Lin. If it was my team of course.
Look at all the drama Howard is causing, is that something the Knicks need? Howard may be a great player on the court but he is now showing his true colors. That its all about Dwight and no one else. He is the type of player that drags a team down and is showing that right now.
I agree. If the Lakers were truly willing to give up Bynum and Gasol the Magic should be kicking themselves right now. Not knocking Howard’s play, but Bynum is emerging in a big way & he’s only going to get better. And Gasol is extremely talented and puts up consistent numbers each year, so we goes without saying. Orlando should have pulled the trigger. If they do indeed have to trade Howard, his stock is only taking more and more of a hit the longer they hold him since he keeps acting like a 2 year old that had their toy taken away.
I have always hated rumors and this site is based on rumors. It seems that I can say that Obama had a recent affair and this site would post it. I don’t like Obama, I think he will be rated even worst then Jimmy Carter, but it would not be fair to him simple to post rumors. I have always felt very strongly about not posting rumors unless you give us the name of the person that gave you the information. Most rumors would stop if you had to post the persons name so stop posting rumors. This site is bad enough.
Don’t come in the site if you don’t like it then… Simple as that.