Basketball Wives’ Shaunie O’Neal: ‘We Are Looking To Replace Royce’

It seems Royce Reed’s days on VH1’s Basketball Wives are numbered.

According to a TMZ report and a new interview by Shaunie O’Neal, Royce will likely be replaced on the third season. Though the second season is still airing on VH1, the network alongside Shaunie are already looking ahead.

Sources tell TMZ that Royce is on the chopping block because of her ongoing legal battle with her Orlando Magic baby daddy Dwight Howard. See, Dwight got a gag order on Royce back in 2009, thus prohibiting her from talking about Dwight or their son in the media or on the TV show. This is the reason Royce’s son has never appeared on the show.

And in a recent phone interview, Shaunie, who is also an executive producer on the show, echoes the same sentiment. “Royce is not guaranteed to come back for Season 3. We are really trying to come up with something else and she’s aware of it,” said Shaunie.

“Season 1 we establish [Royce] as Dwight Howard’s ex-girlfriend and mother of his son. Season 2, she’s now dating again, or dating other people that she seems to be pretty serious with,” Shaunie added. “And she can’t talk about her son, she can’t talk about Dwight, and it’s no connection any more, and the legal part of it has almost gotten more strict.”

So how does Royce feel about being on the chopping block? She tells TMZ she has other options, adding, “If they are indeed searching for a replacement for me it is what it is. It all seems petty and immature to me.”

TELL US – WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON SHAUNIE’S COMMENTS & ROYCE POSSIBLY GETTING THE AXE? THOUGHTS ON LAST NIGHT’S EPISODE?

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