Lakers GM Denies Rift Between Dwight Howard and Mike D’Antoni

After a report came out that soon-to-be free agent center Dwight Howard was none too pleased with his coach, Los Angeles Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak tried to step in front of the story, and said there was no major problem between Howard and Mike D’Antoni. Per the OC Register (via Sulia): “Kupchak said he didn’t want any D’Antoni talk from Dwight anyway given Mitch’s insistence that Lakers won’t have any player dictate the coaching situation. ‘To be honest with you, I wouldn’t let it go there anyway,’ he said. Howard and Kupchak spoke privately, same as some other Lakers did with the GM, after finishing their standard meeting with D’Antoni on April 30. But Kupchak said there was no talk with Howard about D’Antoni once he left the room — and certainly no venting. Kupchak has worked to gain Dwight’s trust this season but would not specify if there were any other discussions about D’Antoni. Regardless, Kupchak was clear that he isn’t worried about it, especially after D’Antoni featured Dwight more and won more games late in the season. Said Kupchak: ‘I’m not saying they don’t have differences like with any coach or any player. I don’t think it’s anything that goes beyond.'”