No Duncan for Magic

As the San Antonio Spurs prepare to battle the Orlando Magic at the TD Waterhouse Centre tonight, some Magicfans are still dreaming about seeing Tim Duncan in a magic uniform next season. Well, they need to keep dreaming because Duncan ain't coming.

Jerry Brewer of the Orlando Sentinel reports: The Orlando Magic simply won't have the salary capspace.

Duncan can opt-out of his contract this summer, and the Magic once estimated that they would have enough cap space to make another run at him, especially after they came close to getting him three summers ago.

However, The Magic figure to have only the Mid-Level Exception ($4.5 million) and the Million Dollar Exception ($1.5 million. They originally had thought that they would have $13 million in capspace.

When he visited the Magic and struggled with a stay-or-go decision, Magic General Manager John Gabriel knew it would be tough to get the 7-foot, 260-pound forward. "Tim Duncan wasn't a free agent," Gabriel said."He was a guy who only wanted to visit one place."

In the end, Duncan didn't come then and he won't come now.

Via Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs

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T-Mac offers Jordan starting role

Who says that NBA players are greedy? Realising that this is Michael Jordan's final All-Star game Orlando superstar Tracy McGrady has offered to forfeit his starting position on the Eastern Conference squad to make way for Jordan, ESPN.com is reporting.

"I have thought about this for a while. I'll do it, absolutely," McGrady told the newspaper. "For what Michael Jordan has done for this league and this game, I'll do anything.

"It's his last All-Star Game. I don't have any problem with that. I'll get in the game. I'd love to see it. I have to call the league office to see if I can do it."

"We'd consider it,'' league spokesman Michael Broeker said. A Wizards spokeswoman said Thursday that Jordan had no immediate comment.

"T-Mac wanting to do that doesn't surprise me," Magic coach Doc Rivers said in the Sentinel. "As aloof as he looks, he has a real sense for the history of the game. And he doesn't look at it like he's kissing Michael's butt. He wants to beat Michael's butt any other time."

"That's a terrific gesture from Tracy," said the official who requested anonymity. "We'll have to see. We've made exceptions before."

Via

Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards

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Brown could be mulling exit

As the Sixers continue the ups-and downs of an inconsistent season, Larry Brown may be contemplating getting off the ride. Bernard Fernandez of the Philadelphia Daily News reports that Brown talked about finding a replacement to lead his team after a disappointing 97-83 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in front of the home fans.

One night after blowing out the Bucks in Milwaukee, they were dominated by the Hawks in Philly. Brown doesn’t understand the inconsistency.

"I hope some of the guys we've gotten will improve," Brown said. "If not...I don't know where we are. Maybe we get somebody in here at my position that can do a better job. I don't know. I think the way this league is, that's the way it goes."

Brown is a well-documented wanderer, but his six years in Philadelphia is the longest of his NBA coaching career. His players have heard him talk about stepping down before, but it might be more serious this time.

Allen Iverson, who scored a game-high 37 points, said he hoped Brown was just venting after one of the team's tougher, more unfathomable losses. "I just hope it's coach being coach," he said. "I can't tell you what he's thinking. I can't say what's going on in his head."

Eric Snow, who tied a career high with 15 assists, is also frustrated with the Sixers’ woes. "Everything we did against Milwaukee, we didn't do tonight," Snow said. "That's why you get beat the way we got beat. We've talked about this I don't know how long. We know what we have to do, and we're obviously not doing it. The organization has to decide if this team is good enough to win. If not, they have to make changes."

Brown clearly misses character guys like George Lynch and Tyrone Hill, who willed themselves to give their best for every minute of every game during the more halcyon days of the Brown regime. "We got a lot of new guys who are different than we had before," Brown said. "I think their mentality's different. George Lynch, Tyrone...people like that wouldn't let this happen. Maybe we'd have lost, but it wouldn't be this way."

Asked whether the Sixers were "schizophrenic," Brown said: "Maybe. I watched 'A Beautiful Mind' before the game. I wanted to see Marilyn Monroe, and Phyllis Diller was out there."

In a related story, Stephen A. Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Brown is unhappy with the makeup of his team and is looking to make changes.

The prevailing rumor has them sending Derrick Coleman and his ending contract to Atlanta for ex-sixers/defensive stopper Theo Ratliff. Brown misses the hustle and defense of his 2001 Finals team and bringing Ratliff back would improve their interior defense immensely.

Before the Atlanta trade talks, they talked to the Knicks about trading Keith Van Horn for Latrell Sprewell. Before that, it was Van Horn to Orlando for injured Grant Hill, months after vowing that Van Horn was the answer to their prayers.

Via

Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, New York Knicks

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