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Is it true, as ESPN Los Angeles reported, that Dwight Howard in his separate interview after his formal exit interview that he lamented frustrations about Mike D’Antoni, specifically about how he felt marginalized on the team? Mitch Kupchak: “Criticism of a coach did not come up. Our coach did not come up. In terms of the way the season went and our talent, group and players and how they think in general, I would venture to say most of our players felt this was a frustrating season and that they didn’t get to show their talents as much as they would have liked to." Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Mike D'Antoni, Dwight Howard 

Kupchak: "Being around as long I’ve been around, it doesn’t bother me when I hear at some point a player didn’t see eye to eye with a coach. Players don’t have to like coaches. They just have to play hard. In L.A., our coaches get evaluated on wins and losses and not whether our players like them or don’t like them. It doesn’t matter.” Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Mike D'Antoni, Dwight Howard 

Kupchak: "A player a has a right to be a free agent. It bothers me that there seems to be some media attention and criticism early in the process about Dwight and the coach and Dwight and free agency. Don’t get me wrong. The sooner he makes his mind up, the better for everybody. That’s my take on it. But he can’t sign until July 10 anyway. I told him when he first got here, ‘I’m not going to bug you. I believe this is the place for you. When you make your mind up, let me know.’” Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Mike D'Antoni, Dwight Howard 

Kupchak: “You’ve been around long enough and watched him play. Look at his numbers and his age. Everything will continue. Knock on wood, he stays healthy. He’ll be in the hall of Fame. There’s no doubt. If he picks up where he let off, he’s going to average 20 points and 14 rebounds and 2 and 3 blocks and he’ll be in the Hall of Fame. He’ll be here for 16 years in this league and there’s no doubt.” Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Mike D'Antoni, Dwight Howard 

An ESPN report said Howard devoted part of a separate meeting with Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak following his formal exit interview three weeks ago to lament how Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni made him feel "marginalized." Kupchak said that didn't happen. "Criticism of a coach did not come up," Kupchak said Wednesday in a phone interview. "Our coach did not come up." Long Beach Press-Telegram

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Dwight Howard 

Kupchak also believes Howard will co-exist with D'Antoni, whom Kupchak has said will return next season. "I have absolute and complete confidence," Kupchak said. "Players don't have to like coaches. They just have to play hard. In L.A., our coaches get evaluated on wins and losses and not whether our players like them or don't like them." Long Beach Press-Telegram

Los Angeles Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Dwight Howard 

When Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak called Phil Jackson to tell him the Lakers were hiring Mike D'Antoni instead of him as coach, he responded the only way he knew how. "I laughed," Jackson told ESPN's "Mike & Mike in the Morning" show Wednesday. "It was humorous to me when Mitch said that we think that Mike is a better coach for this group of guys." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Mitch Kupchak, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

Jackson said he believes the Lakers made the decision largely based on catering to Steve Nash, their 39-year-old point guard who was limited to 50 games this season as he battled a variety of injuries. "I think it didn't happen because there was some concern how are we going to move in the right direction for this ballclub," Jackson said. "When Mitch gave me the call close to midnight on Sunday night right before I was going to give them an answer Monday morning and said, 'We've made a choice. We're going to hire Mike D'Antoni. We think he's the best coach for this group of guys.' My answer was, 'For Steve Nash, yes, I agree but for Dwight Howard, I'm not so sure.' "In the process of thinking about how they could best use the team I think they thought first and foremost about Steve Nash and how Steve Nash was going to fit inside of an offensive system that I coach. ... I think that was a concern for them." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Steve Nash, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni 

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. Sulia

Los Angeles Lakers, Mike D'Antoni, Dwight Howard, Mike Kupchak 

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." Sulia

Los Angeles Lakers, Mike D'Antoni, Dwight Howard, Mike Kupchak 

Kevin Ding: Talked to Mitch Kupchak about his private exit meeting with Dwight Howard. Mitch: "There was no discussion of the coach whatsoever." #lakers Twitter @KevinDing

Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Mitch Kupchak, Mike D'Antoni, Dwight Howard 

While he hasn't had anything to say to the press, Dwight Howard had a lot to say to Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak back before the relative silence, however. Howard was one of several Lakers -- Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol being the most noteworthy -- to have an extended separate meeting with the GM after his exit interview with both Kupchak and D'Antoni, multiple sources confirmed to ESPNLosAngeles.com. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Mitch Kupchak, Mike D'Antoni, Dwight Howard 

D'Antoni chose not to retain assistant coach Chuck Person, a Howard confidant, on his staff for next season. Also, Lakers assistant coach Steve Clifford, who was with Howard in Orlando for five seasons before both of them came to L.A. last year, has become a hot head coaching candidate, interviewing with Milwaukee and receiving interest from Charlotte. One source described the potential departure of Clifford, coupled with the loss of Person as "removing the buffers," between Howard and D'Antoni, "which is a bad thing." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Chuck Person, Mike D'Antoni, Dwight Howard, Steve Clifford 

Colangelo said there would likely be changes to the USA Basketball staff if Krzyzewski did return. The 2012 staff included Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni, former Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan and Syracuse Orange coach Jim Boeheim. Colangelo said it's likely Boeheim would again be part of the staff if Krzyzewski returned. SI.com

Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball, Nate McMillan, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim 

Phil appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" last night and said about Mike D'Antoni: "Mike, with the right personnel is a great coach. This personnel wasn't really quite fit for Mike's coaching. He likes a 3-point shooting group of guys; he likes twos and threes in the corner. His great guard Nash was on the team, obviously; Steve's a great guard. He can distribute the ball. But that other big guy has to be, they call it now a stretch four. He has to be able to shoot 3-pointers. Pau wasn't quite fit into that. Pau and Howard together, too big, too much of a load for that post. He doesn't really like guys in the post. He likes guys outside." Sulia

Phil Jackson, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Los Anglees Lakers 

Jerry Zgoda: Faces spotted just walking into gym: Danny Ainge, Mitch Kupchak, Ty Corbin, Mike D'Antoni, Jerry Sloan, Rick Carlisle, RJ Adelman Twitter @JerryZgoda

Danny Ainge, Mitch Kupchak, Mike D'Antoni, Jerry Sloan, Rick Carlisle, Ty Corbin, RJ Adelman 

Metta on the coaching situation: “I think the difference between the coaches is that Phil obviously has a lot of rings and has coached some great players. I just think Phil is a little bit more demanding of the superstars. I think collectively we may have taken advantage of Mike Brown and Mike D’Antoni, not really giving them enough respect, which wasn’t fair to them. Next year we just have to make sure that we let these coaches coach, because these coaches are great coaches for a reason — they’re Lakers coaches for a reason. If we let them do their job, we’ll have a successful year. Lakers Nation

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Metta World Peace 

After joining Mike Brown's coaching staff with the Lakers over the summer, new coach Mike D'Antoni plans to keep Clifford as part of his revamped staff next season. Yahoo! Sports

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Steve Clifford 

Preferring a small staff to the one he inherited from previous coach Mike Brown, current Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni will not retain assistants Chuck Person and Bernie Bickerstaff for the 2013-14 season. Fellow 2012-13 assistant Eddie Jordan recently accepted the head coaching job at Rutgers University, leaving three assistants on D’Antoni’s staff: Steve Clifford, Darvin Ham and Mike’s brother Dan D’Antoni. Lakers.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Chuck Person, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Bernie Bickerstaff, Darvin Ham, Eddie Jordan, Dan D'Antoni, Steve Clifford 

The 2013-14 coaching roster is not finalized, however, meaning D’Antoni could make further changes or additions over the summer. With that said, D’Antoni does not want a staff to match the size of Brown’s, which featured five full-time assistants and coaching assistant Kyle Triggs, who is joining Jordan at Rutgers. Lakers.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Kyle Triggs