Orlando Magic superstar Dwight Howard says he had NOTHING to do with the team's decision to fire head coach Stan Van Gundy ... telling TMZ, "I hate to see anyone lose their job."

Howard -- who's still rehabbing from back surgery in L.A. -- was out in Beverly Hills this morning when we asked how he felt about his coach's recent termination.

"Me and Stan ... we had our ups and downs ... but for the most part we had one goal ... to win a championship in Orlando, but we fell short."

When asked about speculation that he had a role in the decision to can Stan, Howard told us, "I'm glad [Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins] confirmed I had nothing to do with it."

Howard is also concerned about an interview scheduled to air on ESPN tomorrow night -- telling us it was shot back in April ... and insists the content is "old and inaccurate."

Though Howard didn't say which part of the interview he was referring to specifically ... he did warn, "A lot of stuff has changed since then."

Bonus -- Wanna know which team Dwight picks to win the NBA Championship? Watch the clip.

Orlando Magic superstar Dwight Howard tells TMZ ... he's been in constant contact with head coach Stan Van Gundy since his back surgery ... saying they've spoken "a bunch of times" since the playoffs began.

Dwight was on a walk in Beverly Hills today ... when we asked how life has been since he underwent back surgery in L.A. for a herniated disk last month.

"Sad" ... Howard said ... adding, "Just a little sad that I can't be in Orlando with my teammates in the playoffs."

"I went back and forth with the doctor for a couple of days ... and he just said, 'Dwight I need you to stay here, I don't need you to go back home, I don't need you traveling on the plane ... anything.'"

"I feel like I'm in jail," Dwight said ... "I just really wish I could be there for my teammates."

Dwight says he's been watching every game and speaking with teammates since he's been sidelined ... "supporting them, telling them what they need to do."

But then the bombshell -- Dwight says he's been talking with Coach Van Gundy "a bunch of times since the playoffs began" ... shocking since Stan believes Dwight has been trying to get him fired from the head coaching job.

As for rumors that Dwight faked his injury ... Dwight says it's all B.S. -- claiming the fragment that was floating in his back was the largest fragment his world famous surgeon has ever seen.

"I would never quit on my team, I would never quit on my fans."

Dwight Howard's baby mama -- "Basketball Wives" star Royce Reed -- desperately wants the freedom to publicly trash talk her ex ... so she's asking a judge to lift the gag order that forces her to keep her mouth shut.

Royce had agreed to gag herself  back in 2009 in her never-ending, bitter custody dispute with Dwight.  But Reed now has a few things on her mind that she wants to share with anyone who will listen.  Reading between the lines, here's what she wants to say:

-- Dwight is not morally fit to have custody of their son
-- Dwight's mental state is sketchy
-- Dwight has funny substances laying around the house the kid shouldn't see
-- And she has other horrible things she wants to say about Dwight

Mind you, those are just allegations, but she wants to file legal docs making these allegations and she wants the documents available to the public.

A judge has yet to rule on the request.

The controversial judge in Dwight Howard's custody case has refused to step down -- despite Dwight's baby mama clamoring for his removal ... TMZ has learned.

TMZ broke the story ... the NBA star's baby mama Royce Reed filed a motion earlier this month -- demanding Judge Tim Shea recuse himself from the case because she believes he's biased against mothers who have babies out of wedlock with NBA players.

According to Reed -- who's fighting to retain primary custody of their son -- Dwight's attorney is listed as one of Shea's endorsers on his website ... so there's also a conflict of interest.

Dwight filed docs in response, defending Shea's position as the arbiter in their custody case -- claiming the only reason Reed perceives a bias is because she's intolerable in court ... "making faces, spinning around in a chair, laughing” ... and even “storming out of the courtroom."

This week, the judge refused to remove himself from the case. It's unclear why.

Royce’s attorney Jane Carey tells TMZ, “We believe that the judge's ruling is erroneous and that it does not conform to the governing case law." We're told Reed plans to take her case to the Supreme Court.

The mother of NBA star Dwight Howard's son wants the judge in their custody case removed stat ... because she claims he has it out for women who have children out of wedlock with NBA stars. 

Royce Reed is battling Dwight in court in an effort to retain primary custody of their son. Dwight filed docs earlier this month to try and wrangle custody from her ... claiming she interferes with his relationship with their son and makes it difficult for him to see the boy on his scheduled days.

The "Basketball Wives" star came back this week with a motion of her own ... to have Judge Tim Shea taken off the case. She claims he has a bias against baby mamas and she fears he may side with Dwight because he's a local celebrity.

In her filing, Reed claims Shea wouldn't let her present her side during a court hearing last month. Reed's lawyer also filed an affidavit saying that during the hearing, Judge Shea said he would award Howard custody, then decided to delay his decision ... despite the fact no evidence had been presented.

Reed also claims there might be a conflict of interest since Shea's own website lists one of Howard's lawyers, Mayanne Downs, as one of his endorsers (see below). 



Reed pleads in the docs, "I am afraid if Judge Shea continues to preside over this case, I will lose custody of my son."

A hearing on the matter has been set for later this month.

Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard used his fancy footwork to attempt to dance the flamenco at a club in Madrid on Wednesday.



Ole.

Dwight Howard won a $500,000 judgment against his baby mama in the state of Florida for talking smack  about him -- but she hasn't paid up, so he's going after her in California.


Howard won the judgment against Royce Reed for half a mil last year because she violated a court order, prohibiting her from talking about him in the press.

Howard claims Reed now owes him $551,606.74 -- which includes interest.  So Howard has filed papers with a California court, which could give Howard the right to go after Reed's assets in Cali.

Good luck ... our sources say the "Basketball Wives" star has nada in California.

Like drawing blood from a stone ...

One of the stars on VH1's "Basketball Wives" is learning the hard way -- go completely off the hinges and be crazy ... or face losing your job.


Sources close to the reality show tell TMZ, Royce Reed's BW days are numbered -- and it's all because of the ongoing legal battle with her Orlando Magic baby daddy Dwight Howard.

As we previously reported, Royce can't talk about Dwight in the media because of a 2009 gag order. That injunction SEVERELY inhibits her ability to participate in the show ... aka ... she's boring.

We're told producers believe Royce needs to be replaced ASAP ... but haven't found anyone up to snuff yet.

Royce tells TMZ she has other options and, "If they are indeed searching for a replacement for me it is what it is. It all seems petty and immature to me"

NBA star Dwight Howard claims he's sick of his baby mama bashing him to the media -- a violation of their court settlement  -- and now dude wants at least $500,500,000 to make things right.  


TMZ has obtained legal docs filed by the Orlando Magic star in Orange County, Florida, in which he claims his baby mama Royce Reed -- who stars on VH1's "Basketball Wives" -- leaked dirt about him to the media at least 11 times ... thus violating a 2009 gag order. 

In the docs, Howard explains that if the leaked stories reached 1,000,000 people -- a safe estimate given that the stories were posted all over the Internet -- the damages should add up to $500,500,000 based on the terms of their previous agreement.

A rep for Reed denies any wrongdoing -- telling TMZ the leaked info originated from legal documents ... which is "immune to any agreement made by the parties."

NBA superstar Dwight Howard's baby mama wants someone to watch over him whenever Dwight is with their 2-year old son, according to new court documents.



TMZ obtained a copy of Royce Reed's motion -- filed in Orange County, Florida yesterday -- in which she claims the Orlando Magic star regularly misses scheduled visitations with their son Reed. Royce also alleges that their son "acts out emotionally and physically and resists being taken by" Dwight's nanny ... according to the docs.

As TMZ first reported, cops were called in two weeks ago when Royce claimed that Dwight picked up little Reed from preschool when he wasn't supposed to do so.

Royce is asking the court to appoint a guardian -- on Dwight's dime -- to ensure Dwight follows the visitation schedule and Reed gets proper care. Royce's rep says the motion was filed, "as a last resort."

Dwight's reps have not returned our calls.


 

NBA star Dwight Howard got schooled by cops after removing his child from day care ... TMZ has learned.



It all went down on August 26 when Howard -- who is in an ongoing custody war with baby mama Royce Reed -- went to pick up their 2-year-old son. Reed, we're told, flipped out and called the cops because she claimed the custody agreement didn't give Howard the right to pick the child up that day.

Reed showed up at the day care center for a showdown, but Howard had already left with the kid.

The cops called Howard ... and the NBA star explained he and his ex made a new agreement ... giving him the right to cart his kid away that day. But ... after speaking with lawyers from both sides, the cops handed down their verdict -- a new custody agreement was discussed but never signed.

The cops ordered Howard to return the child to the day care center, stat. Howard's nanny -- the Henry Kissinger character -- took the boy back to school and Reed took him home.

Basketball is so much easier ... 

UPDATE:  A spokesperson for Reed thanked police and school officials for their quick response. He also said the child "was seriously traumatized by the unlawful actions of Dwight and his staff, and Royce will rely upon the Courts to prevent future incidents from occurring."