Dwight Howard Rumors: Howard Will Waive ETO Thursday Morning, May Fire Agent Dan Fegan, According to Report

In the latest stunning turn of events in the Dwightmare drama, Dwight Howard told Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM he is committed to the Orlando Magic for at least one more season after this one. "In an exclusive interview with RealGM, Dwight Howard confirmed to me that he will opt-in and stay in Orlando at least another year," Rudolph writes. "Howard was very apologetic for the 'circus' he's put Magic fans through," he adds. On the RealGM website, Rudolph says Howard will sign the necessary paperwork Thursday morning. Until he puts pen to paper, however, the situation remains in flux.

The Dwightmare reached a fever pitch Wednesday when, roughly 24 hours before the NBA trading deadline, Christian Bruey of WFTV Channel 9 reported Howard would consent to waiving his Early Termination Option--which option is the provision in his contract that enables him to become a free agent in July 2012--and had informed Magic management he would do so.

But late Wednesday afternoon, the story took another turn when Howard and Dan Fegan, his agent, informed Magic management via conference call that he would not commit in writing to waive his ETO. Howard and Fegan would have needed to sign a waiver amending Howard's contract to eliminate the ETO, which would keep him under contract for the 2012/13 season and ensure he could not become a free agent until July 2013.

Without that assurance from Howard, reports Wednesday evening and early Thursday morning indicated the Magic had decided to trade him.

According to Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD, Howard is considering firing Fegan. Howard dismissed Aaron Goodwin, who had represented him since the Magic selected Howard 1st overall in the 2004 NBA Draft, in 2010. Because Fegan did not represent Howard when Howard inked his extension in 2007, he will not receive another commission until Howard signs his next deal. But if Howard fires him, Fegan--one of the most powerful agents in basketball--will be out of a commission altogether.

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