ORLANDO, Fla. — The Knicks-Magic game was upstaged this morning when Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said Dwight Howard has told management he wants him fired.
Asked how he knows this to be true, Van Gundy said, “I was told it was true by people here, right from the top.’’
Van Gundy’s confirmation of Wednesday’s report has thrown the club into chaos. His usual pregame press conference was cancelled but he will coach Thursday’s game.
The biggest irony would be if Knicks legend/Magic assistant Patrick Ewing is asked to fill in. A report Wednesday, citing a source, stated Howard had gone to management but that was denied by Howard, and again today.
“Management hasn’t told me anything. I’m the coach until they decide I’m not the coach,” Van Gundy said.
Then Howard walked into the gym and toward Van Gundy in the middle of the media scrum and put his arm around the Magic coach – unaware of what Van Gundy had just said. It was made for a surreal scene and most uncomfortable moment.
“Stan, we’re not worried about that, right?” Howard asked.
“That’s what I just said,” Van Gundy responded. “We’ve got to be worried about winning games.”
Then Van Gundy excused himself and said the media can talk to Howard . Reporters repeatedly had to explain to Howard where the information was coming from when he kept saying, “Who is the source?.’’ Howard couldn’t comprehend Van Gundy had actually said it.
Howard, who will play Thursday despite a bad back, then denied again that he requested Van Gundy be fired. “You know what I said yesterday?’’
“I didn’t (say anything),” Howard said. “The only thing we are concerned about is winning a championship. I haven’t said anything to anybody about anything.”
Van Gundy had said the Magic have to keep their focus on basketball and not Howard’s request.
“No one has to worry about my job security,” Van Gundy said. “There should be no concern about that and there should be no concern about what Dwight wants. That’s not what it’s about. It’s about all of us working our asses off and getting better as a team. That’s what it’s about. The rest of it is up to management. I wish (it didn’t happen) but I also wish it wasn’t raining.’’
Van Gundy was asked if his players are worried he’s going to get fired.
“I don’t think they’re worried because I don’t take anyone with me,” Van Gundy said. “No one has to go anywhere if I get fired. I don’ think it’s a big distraction to the players. My staff is way behind worrying about that staff. My staff is worried about if we’re going to do a better job slowing down Carmelo Anthony. We’re a worried staff but not about that.
“When you take a coaching job, I don’t think any coach in this league says, you know I’m going to be here until the day I die,’’ Van Gundy said. “It’s going to happen at some point.’’
Howard was the subject of trade rumors throughout the season, but opted in to the final year of his Magic contract hours before the deadline. There were reports that Magic brass gave Howard an opportunity to choose the fate of Van Gundy and GM Otis Smith, but the center strongly denied those rumors at the time.