The Orlando Magic are expected to sign veteran small forward Stacey Augmon to a one year contract, the Orlando Sentinel is reporting.

Augmon, who turns 36 on Sunday, is well known for his defense and has also been talking with the Chicago Bulls.  He recently spoke with New Orleans teammate and former Orlando guard Darrell Armstrong about joining the Magic.

New Orleans Hornets free agent swingman Stacey Augmon has spoken to teammate Darrell Armstrong, a former Orlando Magic guard, about his views on the Magic organization. Augmon, 36, has also negotiated with the Chicago Bulls but is expected to be offered a one year contract by the Magic to join their commitment to defense and talented role players.

As negotiations feel like they have been stalled for months now one has to wonder if the Knicks and the Bulls can ever get a combination together which both accept so that restricted free agent guard Jamal Crawford can finally call Madison Square Garden his home.

While Dikembe Mutombo is now in the trade as per John Paxson's request, the sticking point from the Bulls perspective is the fact that Moochie Norris still remains too, taking the place of Othella Harrington who has been offered to the Golden State Warriors for Erick Dampier.

Paxson wants Harrington and Mutombo to accompany Anderson to the Windy City since the duo are entering the last seasons on their contracts, while Isiah Thomas maintains that Norris' deal is relatively the same once the $3 million in cash the Knicks are offering is factored in.

Norris has three years left on his contract, the last of which is a team option.  Thomas' stance is that the cash would pay the majority of Norris' contract for the upcoming season, leaving the Bulls with only next season's salary to worry about.

However, the Bulls continue to stand firm and the deal doesn't appear to be getting any closer to becoming official.

The Chicago Bulls have just come to terms with Ben Gordon and Luol Deng, their number three and seven picks respectively.

Gordon will earn $3.36-million next year, and Deng will earn $2.27-million.

Both players participated in the Rocky Mountain Review summer league, leading the Bulls to a league-best record of 6-1.

Knicks GM Isiah Thomas met with John Paxson on Tuesday at Chicago's O'Hare Airport to discuss one Washington native, Jamal Crawford.  The two sides have reportedly been very close on an agreement several times, but have wavered when deciding on who should be returned in a sign and trade.  Thomas has been trying mightily to unload Moochie Norris, while the Bulls would like Dikembe Mutumbo instead.

The teams are now expected to explore the possibility of adding a third team into the mix, in order to put Jamal Crawford in Madison Square Gardon this fall.

While the Crawford situation seems to be on hold, Bulls operations chief John Paxson had some good news to report Monday about his negotiations for 6-7 Argentine forward Andres Nocioni.

"A deal with Nocioni is imminent,'' Paxson said. "We should have a contract done in the next couple of days. But he still won't be able to join us until after the Olympics because he will be playing on Argentina's national team.''

Paxson declined to give financial details, but a league source reported earlier that Nocioni will sign a three-year, $11.5 million contract, helping to provide him with the $3 million he needs to buy out his contract with Spain's Tau Ceramica.

Is the meeting on or not? Apparently it's on according to a league source.

Crawford's agent Aaron Goodwinhas has pushed for nearly two weeks for the heads of the two franchises to meet face-to-face.

"I think if they can get together, they can make something happen," Goodwin told The Post Saturday.

The difference maker so far appears to be whether Thomas will throw in Mutumbo in place of Moochie or not who he already plans to include in any sort of deal with Dampier or Walker.

While reports of a potential meeting between GMs John Paxson and Isiah Thomas are doing the rounds, Daily Herald writer Mike McGraw says not only are there no meetings planned, but there are not likely to be any at all.

Despite reports indicating Thomas is already in Chicago, McGraw writes that Paxson has no intention of getting into a room with Thomas to hash out a deal, a suggestion put forward by Jamal Crawford's agent Aaron Goodwin.  Crawford remains the centerpiece of any potential deal between the two sides.

"That's still up in the air," Paxson said of a potential meeting. "I'm not sure yet."

Knicks' president Isiah Thomas and Bulls' general manager John Paxson are expected to meet Tuesday or Wednesday in Chicago to revive or end sign-and-trade talks for restricted free-agent Jamal Crawford.

The stall appears caused by the Bulls' refusal to take back Moochie Norris in the deal.  

Crawford is a talent, the Bulls' front office realizes, but he doesn't appear to fit with the future of the team, or Paxson's philosophy for it.

Thomas' trip to Chicago has piqued optimism that he may be willing to meet the Bulls' demands.

Antoine Walker seems himself playing for the Knicks next season.

After a conversation with fellow Chicago native Isiah Thomas, Walker said he believes he'll eventually wind up playing in New York this season.

"I think I'm going to be in a Knick uniform," said Walker. "That's my prediction, but we'll wait and see."

Walker added, "I've got to go. There's too many negative things with the situation in Dallas."

For a Knick deal to work, it's believed that the Mavericks would need to bring in a third team.  Mark Cuban wanted to figure out a way to get Vince Carter to Dallas but was rebuffed by Toronto.

Kurt Thomas would likely wind up in Dallas in such a scenario, and Dikembe Mutombo would be important to the deal because of his expiring contract.

Meanwhile, Jamal Crawford's agent, Aaron Goodwin, said Thomas and Bulls GM John Paxson can finish off a sign-and-trade deal for Crawford if the two sides sit down and talk.

"I think if they can get together, they can make something happen," Goodwin said.