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“Awesome shirt. Great job”
WKMG, an Orlando television station is reporting that Dwight Howard called Magic owner Rich DeVos last Friday to say he won’t play for Stan Van Gundy. Apparently, Howard is still sore about Van Gundy’s decision to tell the media that the center wanted him fired.
Howard is currently out of the line up with a herniated disk in his lower back and is expected to miss the playoffs.
To make matters worse, a recent Sports Illustrated poll shows that Van Gundy is the coach that players would least like to play for. The problem is that Van Gundy is a good coach and he gets results!
I mean if Dwight Howard has this gigantic fear of replicating Shaquille O’Neal’s career, then he shouldn’t clash with Van Gundy.
to get 2nd opinion on his back.
From Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel:
Dwight Howard has gone to Los Angeles with a member of the Orlando Magic’s medical staff to get a second opinion on his aching back. Howard will not play when the Magic host the Atlanta Hawks tonight, and he is not expected to play in the Magic’s road game Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Magic’s home game Monday versus the Philadelphia 76ers.
Who does he think he is?
Orlando played its trump card. Sources for months maintained Howard wanted no part of the Lakers, that he did not want to follow the legacy of Shaquille O’Neal. Orlando leaders had one other reason for the threat: They favored the Lakers’ package of Andrew Bynum, Devin Ebanks and Steve Blake over the Nets’ offer.
Howard, of course, signed and everyone spoke of loyalty, which would have been better served had he signed long term. So the Magic have the game’s most dominant center locked up — until the nonsense starts again.
New Jersey Nets nearly pulled off trade for Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard - NYPOST.com
Very weird look inside the Dwight Howard trade drama from earlier this year. The Magic threatened to trade Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers if Howard didn’t waive opt-out.
Shaq really haunts and taunts Dwight Howard’s career. Doesn’t want to be a Laker, just wants to be buddies with Jay-Z.
One day, we’ll stop talking about Dwight Howard. One day.
“You are fastened to (him) and cannot understand how, because (he is) not fastened to you.”
—Argentinian poet Antonio Porchia, Voces
Stan Is Tired Of The Bullshit
My favorite part of that video interview is the impeccable timing in which Dwight comes in for the photobomb just as soon as Stan calls him out followed by the awkward tension when Dwight puts his arm around him.
It’s hard to tell if it’s just their camaraderie or if it’s more like a, “watch what you say about me cause I can rip your face in half with one hand” kind of a gesture.
And such is the current state of this Orlando Magic team.
At this point though, I feel for Stan and would rather he leave/get fired so he can coach a better team (Clippers, amirite??) and in his own words, not deal with any more of the bullshit.
The very latest Dwight Howard development here. And a quiz! Which of these statements has Dwight Howard not expressed?
1) Dwight Howard wants to be traded from Orlando.
2) Dwight Howard loves playing in Orlando.
3) Dwight Howard loves playing with his teammates and coach.
4) Dwight Howard wants new teammates and a different coach.
5) Dwight Howard wants to finish the season in Orlando.
6) Dwight Howard does not want to sign an opt-in clause that would keep him in Orlando through the end of next season.
ANSWER: none of the above!
So, the indecisive Dwight Howard has decided to finish the rest of the season with Orlando. Of course, all of this could change as soon as two hours from now or on Thursday.
The NBA Store is selling Dwight Howard New Jersey Nets t-shirts. What do they know that we don’t?
Adrian Wojnarowski on the Dwight Howard situation. You should read the article, but the Cliff Notes version of it. Magic owners believe they can keep Howard, long term as long as they acquire talented pieces. Magic GM Otis Smith and coach Stan Van Gundy know that Howard is leaving and would want the team to make a deal to put an end to this long and drawn out process. Howard will sign with the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets at the start of summer free agency.
So, ideally, the Magic should trade Howard to whatever team offers the best deal in return and it seems like the Nets don’t have a lot to offer in a trade and Howard could make more money if he just signed as a free agent.
Welcome to NBA Trade Deadline Week!
As the week begins there are two important things to remember:
It should be an interesting couple of days. Will the Magic trade Howard to the Nets or will he go to a team as a rental? Will the Lakers trade Pau Gasol for some fresh legs?
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
