NBA Rumors: Why Dwight Howard Would Regret Getting Stan Van Gundy Fired

The Dwight Howard-Stan Van Gundy relationship has been boiling for a long time. According to a report from David Pingalore of WKMG TV in Orlando, the superstar center wants a new head coach for the Magic if he is going to stay there beyond next season. 

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In order for Dwight Howard to sign a contract extension this summer with the Orlando Magic, team owners will have to fire head coach Stan Van Gundy, as well as his coaching staff, sources close to the team and the NBA told Local 6 Sports Director David Pingalore.

Pingalore's sources confirmed the talk has been "amping" up in recent weeks. According to the sources, the probability of Van Gundy's staff to be released from their final year of the contract is very high.

The sources confirm that if Van Gundy and his staff are fired, the Magic will use the exclamation that they "just couldn't win in a timely fashion."

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It's no secret that players, particularly superstars, call the shots in the NBA. If Howard wants Van Gundy gone, the front office will gladly tell him to go away. 

Howard's ego has gotten out of control.

First, he wants to be traded because he wants to be a big star on a bigger stage. Then, he decides that he doesn't want to be thought of like LeBron James, so he decides to stay with the Magic. Now, with the Magic half a game behind Indiana for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, Howard reportedly wants to get rid of the head coach.

Van Gundy may not be the biggest-name coach in the NBA, but considering the team the front office has put around him, it would be hard to imagine anyone else doing a lot better. 

If Howard was really concerned about the future direction of the team, he should ask general manager Otis Smith why he made some of the decisions he did. 

Van Gundy has been terrific for this franchise since taking over in 2007. The Magic are not going to land a marquee name to be their head coach because they aren't playing in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles. 

Howard is able to get away with a lot in the media because Van Gundy knows how to placate him. A new coach is not the answer.