http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/orl-spt-magic071301.story?coll=orl%2Dmagic Ewing, Magic OK deal The new-look front court of the Orlando Magic is shaping up with some old, familiar faces. The Magic have reached a tentative agreement with free-agent center Patrick Ewing, and they are hoping to do the same in the next few days with veteran power forward Horace Grant. Ewing, 38, and Grant, 36, have played a combined 30 NBA seasons. Although Magic General Manager John Gabriel declined to comment on negotiations with either player, sources close to both sides confirmed the upcoming deal with Ewing, who played last season with the Seattle SuperSonics. No new contracts can be signed until July 18. Gabriel, who met with Grant on Wednesday, huddled with Grant's agent, Jimmy Sexton, Thursday at the RDV Sportsplex, but no agreement was reached during negotiations. Sexton was scheduled to return home to Memphis this morning, but he is expected to speak again with the Magic later today. According to an NBA source, Grant still is waiting for the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he won a championship last season, to decide how much they can offer him. Both veterans would be taking a huge pay cut to play for the Magic in the twilight of their careers. Ewing made $14 million with the Sonics last season, while Grant made $5.9 million with the Lakers. The Magic, who are handcuffed by salary-cap restrictions, are trying to land both by splitting the $4.5 million salary-cap exception. Ewing has been in the Bahamas for meetings with the National Basketball Players Association. Although he has not visited the Magic recently, he has been in regular phone contact with Magic personnel. Ewing will be in Miami this weekend for a charity basketball game hosted by Heat center Alonzo Mourning. Although agent David Falk told friends earlier that Ewing would play this season with either Miami or Orlando, Ewing has decided to play for former teammate and Magic Coach Doc Rivers. The news of Ewing's commitment to Orlando was met with approval from Magic guard Darrell Armstrong, who was at their summer league game Thursday night. "Patrick can give us an inside presence, something we haven't had the last couple years," Armstrong said. "It's a good opportunity for him. Playing with Tracy [McGrady], Grant [Hill], Mike [Miller], in the environment we have here, all the sunshine, it will make him a young man again -- at least for 10 days. We'll let him basket-hang [stay at one end]." The Magic like the idea of adding the veterans -- well past their primes -- to help in the growth of their younger players. They drafted center Brendan Haywood (North Carolina) and power forward Steven Hunter (DePaul). Ewing, an 11-time all-star, played in 79 games last season, but he averaged career lows in points (9.6 per game) and rebounds (7.4 per game), while shooting 43 percent. Although he struggled in his one season in the Western Conference, Ewing has said he believes a return to the Eastern Conference might help his game. Joe Dumars, president of basketball operations for the Detroit Pistons, said he believes the Ewing fit in Orlando will be a good one. Dumars was in Orlando on Thursday watching his summer-league team. "If it's a team like the Magic -- who already have a couple of go-to guys -- it's a good fit for Patrick, a perfect fit, " Dumars said. "As long as you aren't counting on him for heavy minutes, he'll still be productive. It'll work if he comes here." ------------------ Question about a Tree? Go to the 5th Ward and tell Daryle I sent you.
TMac sharing the ball this season with Hill and Ewing? It won't work. Mango ------------------ Get it right or just don't do it! Resistance is futile....you will be assimilated. Start more Webber threads!
Then, if for nothing else, they can use his defense which will be a plus over John Amaechi. ------------------ The title will come to ClutchCity once again.
Ewing won't help the Magic that much IMO. ------------------ President of the Eddie Griffin fan club.
EXCELLENT move for the Magic... That team will revolve around McGrady # 1, Hill option 2...and Pat will get his when they go inside...a perfect set up for him at this stage of his career... He will most probably play 20-25 minutes per game...and then log higher minutes come the play offs... One thing though...I totally thought he would go play with ZO in Miami...they are best friends etc... I wonder if this shows that maybe he knows ZO isn't coming back again? Just a thought... ------------------
He's definitely an upgrage though over Amaechi and Co. Damn, they are gonna have one helleva team next year, at least on paper...and it's really way too soon to make some sweeping assumption like TMAC is too greedy thus they will suck...comon! use some logic.
McGrady isn't going to have a problem at all sharing the ball. Ewing is an upgrade definitely, the only problem I have with the Ewing signing is that the Magic are supposed to be an uptempo team. If they can be more of a half-court team mixed in with uptempo, like the Lakers, then this is a great signing for them. I think it can work. ------------------ "Instruments are like women: After a while, you want to make love to another." - Nicolas Godin of the musical duo Air
