Orlando Magic General Manager Rob Hennigan confirms Dwight Howard trade request – NBA Update
Rob Hennigan has not been the General Manager of Orlando Magic for a long time, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t gone straight into the action. Reports surfaced a while earlier that super star Dwight Howard had demanded from Hennigan to be traded away, which
were confirmed by Howard, and now Hennigan has also admitted that his prized asset wants out.
Hennigan was hired as the General Manager after the Magic fired head coach Stan Van Gundy and cleared out the management team, including Otis Smith. The changes however were not enough to placate Howard, who came up to the new GM and told him that he wanted
out. Howard even specified his favourite destination, believed to the Brooklyn Nets.
All of this doesn’t make Hennigan’s job any easier. The executive had been handed the task of rejuvenating a Magic side that has for years revolved around Howard. So with Dwight wanting out, Rob is in a tough spot.
So how is he going to handle this situation? Well, the GM doesn’t yet know himself.
"As I told Dwight, I said 'I don't know. I have to think about what you're telling me.' I want to take some time to process everything," Hennigan said of the meeting between him and Howard.
One thing though is clear in Rob’s mind; his responsibility is to the Orlando Magic, not to Dwight Howard. Howard went as far as to say in a recent interview that he would only sign a new contract with one team, which he didn’t specify but is believed to
be Brooklyn Nets.
Hennigan though doesn’t look like he will grant that wish. The GM is going to do what is best for the Magic, not necessarily for Dwight.
"And the answer is we want to map out what's in the best interest of our team. And any decision that at decide going forward with will be one that we feel puts our team in a position to be successful and move forward."
The Howard saga has been lingering on since last season, and reached fever pitch at the trade deadline before Howard decided to extend the contract for another year. That though has now come back to haunt both the player and his team.
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