Dwight Howard Follows 'Heart' to Stay With Orlando Magic
Dwight Howard is reportedly staying with the Orlando Magic after officially deciding not to opt out of his existing contract late Wednesday night.
Howard will stay on with the team but is expected to sign a waiver of the early termination option in his contract before the trade deadline at 3 p.m. on Thursday, and until he does he still risks being traded, according to ESPN.
"The Magic have no comment on this situation," Orlando spokesman Joel Glass told ESPN early Thursday.
Trade speculation began on Wednesday when after previously insisting that he would stay with the team next season, Howard had a sudden change of heart shortly before Orlando's game against San Antonio.
The 26-year-old reportedly told Orlando management that he was not prepared to sign the ETO waiver during a conference call, which his agent, Dan Fegan, explained was the result of mounting pressures.
"Dwight has chosen not to waive his ETO under pressure from the team that he might be traded. However, Dwight expressed once again on a call today with the DeVos family and Alex Martins that he very much desires to pursue a championship this year with the Magic. Dwight also expressed that he had no intention of leaving the Magic high and dry at the end of the season," Fegan said in a statement to ESPN.
According to reports Howard had previously been considering leaving Orlando to sign on with the New Jersey Nets, which he later blamed on his representatives.
"Man, listen, you know my heart, my soul and everything I have is in Orlando. ... I just can't leave it behind," Howard told RealGM.com.
"I have gotten some bad advice. I apologize for this circus I have caused to the fans of our city. They didn't deserve none of this. I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart. I will do whatever I can to make this right and do what I was put in Orlando to do," he said.
