As it turns out, Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy are actually very close. Despite what looked to be a very public fall out while the two were with the Orlando Magic, Van Gundy and Howard still keep in close communication. So when it came time for the center to make his big free agency decision this summer, Van Gundy was a big influence in the choice.
While speaking during the media day for the Houston Rockets, the newly signed center told Fox Sports that he reached out to Van Gundy for help in deciding where to sign next and the former head coach suggested Houston would be the best fit for his style of play. That was ultimately the move that Howard made and time will tell if it really is the right place for him.
On paper, the Rockets look like true contenders. With superstar Howard and James Harden pairing with key role players like Chandler Parsons, Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik, the Rockets could be poised for big-time success in the Western Conference. Van Gundy could be very right with his advice.
The former coach is not the only one to claim they had a hand in getting Howard to move to Houston. Parsons also claims that his friendship with the center played a large role in getting the former Lakers player to move teams. The two players have had a friendship since both were playing in Florida and Parsons spent a lot of time convincing Howard that Houston was the right spot for him.
"I spent a lot of time during the summer in L.A.," Parsons said, via Houston Chronicle. "We kind of just hit it off. We literally would text every day. He'd call me at 8 p.m. with a question and then he'd call me at midnight with the same question. I respect the way he handled his free agency. He took his time and weighed all his options."
One person not totally on board with Howard is Asik. The center will likely be fighting for time now coming off the bench and while he said he was excited about Howard, he spent most of the offseason fighting trade rumors after the signing. Now he is hesitant how the entire season will play out.
"You guys can ask as much as you can (about the trade demand), but I'm not going to say anything about this," said Asik, via USA Today Sports. "I think (Howard) is the best center in the league, and that's a great addition for the Houston Rockets. So we'll see how it goes, starting tomorrow."
