<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Orlando Magic will attempt to sign a would-be free agent such as Vince Carter or deal for another go-to offensive player this summer to try to improve. To do that, they'll have make some maneuvers that Donald Trump would envy. "We have to do some creative financing," Magic General Manager Otis Smith said. Last offseason was rather quiet for the Magic, whose major moves were signing Keith Bogans and drafting J.J. Redick. This offseason could be noisier as the club continues building around all-star center Dwight Howard. "I don't think it will be as uneventful as last summer," Smith said. "We just need a couple pieces here and there. We're not that far away." Finding a scorer and a point guard are priorities in the wake of a 40-42 season and being swept out of the playoffs by the Detroit Pistons. But the Magic can't fill those need areas in one offseason and figure a scorer is easier to obtain. They apparently plan to stick with point guard Jameer Nelson, who is eligible for a contract extension. Grant Hill becomes a free agent but reiterated after the Magic's final meeting Sunday that he won't decide until later this summer if he will return to play for Orlando. "I need to get away for a while," he said. Hill said changes the team might make could influence his decision. Besides Carter -- a Daytona Beach native who can opt out of his contract with the New Jersey Nets -- other high-powered offensive performers are Seattle SuperSonics forward Rashard Lewis and his teammate, Ray Allen. "When we need a basket, we need someone who can go out and get us one," Smith said. Allen is not a free agent, but the Sonics might be willing to trade him to get out from under his maximum salary. The Magic could also trade other players to create more room. They need to get creative to carve out more salary-cap room because they expect to re-sign 7-foot power forward Darko Milicic, a restricted free agent. Milicic, who had a solid postseason against the Pistons, could eat up a large portion of the available money produced by Hill's expiring contract. Their cap room currently is expected to be $10 million to $13 million -- not counting Darko dollars. Milicic is expected to be asking for $7 million to $8 million his first season and a contract that could reach $60 million. That might be too rich for the Magic. They can match any offer for him after July 1, but there are only a handful of teams who have money to pay him. Per NBA collective-bargaining rules, the Magic have a "salary-cap hold" space carved for Milicic, and won't have the wherewithal to sign other players until his status is addressed. "I would like to stay here and they would like me to be here," Milicic said. "But I can't talk about it until it's time for that and we'll see if they really want me here." His agent, Marc Cornstein, told the Sentinel that he'd be "a little surprised" if Milicic isn't in a Magic uniform next year. But Milicic also said he wants a meatier role -- whether it is with the Magic or elsewhere. He realizes the Magic "play through" Howard but said, "Personally, I want to be the guy a team plays through. I don't want to be just a player who's there." Smith said the future of pairing Milicic and Howard is "scary," adding, "We can't afford to lose a big guy. We want Darko on our team." Howard said he'll try to expand his offensive game. Smith said the Magic are currently trying to hire a free-throw shooting coach to help Howard improve on his woeful 57 percent average. Smith said Hill has wavered on whether he will keep playing or retire. "His body is going to dictate what he's going to do -- and the Mrs.," Smith said of Hill's wife, Tamia.</div> Source So let's recap. Ray Allen or Rashard Lewis in Orlando may be a possibility = Darko wants to stay and we will try hard to re-sign him = Dwight Howard is expanding his offensive game = The Magic are hiring a free throw coach for Dwight = Gotta say, I'm pretty happy about all of these things!
Still need a big man coach to help Dwight with his post, and back to the basket moves. I also think we need to look for a better PG, more so than a go to scorer.
