Jerry Brewer of the Orlando Sentinel reports: The Orlando Magic are no closer to signing free agent forward/center Keon Clark after a meeting between General Manager John Gabriel and Jim Mourer, Clark's agent.

Though Gabriel said the meeting went well, the same issues that make signing Clark such a long shot still exist.

It was originally thought that Clark would accompany Mourer to Orlando, but the 6-foot-11 former Magic draft pick did not visit. If talks progress and Clark grows more intrigued with the Magic, he will visit. The Magic hope that, at some point, they can bring him in for some wooing.

Mutual interest has caused the Magic to explore adding Clark to the roster. Clark, who averaged 11.3 points and 7.4 rebounds for Toronto last season, has said in the past that living where there is no state income tax is attractive to him. He is also said to be an avid golfer in the off-season. And the Magic play a faster style that could showcase his athleticism.

Still, he is expected to command the entire $4.545 million mid-level exception. Though the Magic have most of it to spend, they are dangerously close to the luxury tax, which is expected to kick in between $50 and $52 million this coming season. If a franchise's team salary is above that number, they will have to pay, dollar for dollar, the money over that amount they are. That's why signing Clark is so difficult.

"I think it's unlikely, but you've still got to explore," Gabriel said. "When players show interest, you have to kick open a door that's slightly cracked."

Clark has at least six serious suitors, including the Sacramento Kings, who are championship contenders.

To acquire Clark, the Magic would have to make a trade that might have to include Mike Miller to clear some room under the expected $50-52 million luxury tax freshold.

Jerry Brewer of the Orlando Sentinel reports that the Magic are looking at all the possibilities. They want Keon Clark but they don?t want to pay the luxury tax.

Magic General Manager John Gabriel will try to work a trade to add Clark to the roster without taking the team salary over the $50-$52 million range. Anything above that puts the Magic in danger of paying the luxury tax for the upcoming season.

The Magic will try to convince Clark to come to Orlando. He would be an important piece to a team that may only be one big man away from contending for the Eastern Conference title. Gabriel and the Magic have plenty of competition for Clark?s services.

At least half a dozen teams are interested in Clark. His agent, Jim Mourer, reportedly had a hush-hush meeting in Las Vegas last week with the Sacramento Kings. Mourer said last week that his client would consider a short-term deal, possibly three years, if the situation were right. Even in this tight NBA economy, Clark is expected to command the full $4.545 million mid-level exception.

Brewer adds that it's hard to imagine a situation in which the Magic could sign Clark and keep forward Mike Miller. Miller, the 2001 rookie of the year, has endured hearing his name in trade talks for the past two off-seasons. Miller would likely have to be included to work any sign-and-trade for Clark.

Ken Hornack of the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports that Pat Garrity knew the situation he was in when he signed his 5-year, $15 million contract earlier this week. Garrity is the Secretary Treasurer of the NBA Players Association and understands all too well the implications of the luxury tax on today?s players.

Garrity won?t have to concern himself with contract negotiations for another five years. Since the current CBA expires after the 2003-04 season, he knows he will take a long look at the effects of teams being imposed a luxury tax for going beyond the salary cap. "I understand the implications of being over the tax," he said. "And it's definitely something the players are going to want to look at the next round."

(RealGM note: The current CBA is set to expire after the 03-04 season, but the owners have an option to extend the agreement for an additional season.)

Even the waiving Wednesday of Jud Buechler, who was scheduled to make more than $4 million next season, won't permit the Magic to do much other than perhaps sign second-round draft pick Mario Kasun. The Magic will still be liable for the majority of Buechler's salary.

There is no guarantee that a tax will go into effect next summer. But the looming threat of one was on Garrity's mind before negotiations began on his new $15 million deal.

"I came into doing this straight from the players' meeting," Garrity said. "So I think I had Luxury Tax and Escrow 101 probably about a month ago."

Jerry Brewer of the Orlando Sentinel reports that the Magic are trying to make one last splash in this season?s free agent market. Even though they live in fear of the luxury tax, the Magic are making a play for Keon Clark.

"I know they're interested, and I think Keon would like to look into playing there," said Jim Mourer, Clark's agent. "But a lot would have to happen there to make it work."

The Magic have their $4.5 million mid-class exception and a dire need in the front court, but they are currently trying to lower their payroll so they can sign their rookies. Under normal circumstances, a player like Clark would command upward of $50 million as a free agent. The luxury tax eliminates ?normal circumstances?.

Mourer said Clark might be willing to sign a short-term deal. "He wouldn't want to sign for much less than he can get," said Mourer, who has received considerable interest from teams since Clark became unrestricted. "Still, if the situation was right, yeah, he'd consider something short term."

Clark could take a chance and sign a 1-year deal, and then raise his value by playing an increased role with the Orlando front court. Next year, the Magic, and several other teams, will be under the salary cap. Clark could be a beneficiary of all that cap room.

Even if Clark were to sign for less, the Magic would have to do some major shuffling to make it happen to trim their payroll as much as $3 million or $4 million.

Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News reports that the Sixers are finally ready to make some moves in the free agent market. The Sixers will announce, perhaps as soon as today the signing of Dallas free agent Greg Buckner and Magic free agent Monty Williams.

The deal with Buckner has been agreed upon for a while now, but the Sixers and Mavericks have been exploring sign and trade possibilities. It now looks as though a trade is unlikely. By trading for Buckner, the Sixers would still have their whole $4.5 million mid-class exception in tact to go after another free agent like Rodney Rogers or Keon Clark. Without the trade, Buckner will take $2.4 million of the exception, leaving only a little more than $2.1 million for another free agent.

Jasner reports that the Mavs were seeking a taker for Tariq Abdul-Wahad?s $33 million contract. The Sixers were willing to trade Matt Harpring, but Wahad?s contract would mean more Salary would have to be included from Philadelphia.

Willimas will sign as a minimum salary player, which means the Sixers will still have their $1.4 million exception available if they choose to use it. Orlando Magic GM John Gabriel will be sorry to see Williams go. "It's a steal," said Gabriel. "If we weren't faced with the luxury-tax situation, the way most teams are, he'd have a job with us forever.

"He's one of the best [as an influence] in the locker room; he's coming off his best year as a pro; he's one of the best smaller low-post players. He was always able to get to the basket, but now he's able to finish. He's not a very good shooter, but he's a pretty good scorer and able to defend against shooting guards, small forwards and some power forwards."

While not the ?big name? acquisitions the Sixer fans are waiting for, Buckner and Williams will increase the depth on the Philadelphia bench and improve the team defense.

The Orlando Magic have waived guard-forward Jud Buechler, General Manager John Gabriel announced today.

Buechler (6?6?, 228, 6/19/68) played in 66 games for both Phoenix and Orlando last season, averaging 1.7 ppg. and 1.8 rpg. in 10.4 minpg. He led (or tied) the Magic in rebounding twice, including a career-high 12 rebounds on Nov. 29 vs. Boston. Buechler was acquired from the Suns on Nov. 16 in exchange for Bo Outlaw and a future first round draft pick.

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that The Orlando Magic have signed forward Pat Garrity to a 5-year contract for about $17 million.

The Sentinel also mentioned that more details will be available later.

Jerry Krause, the GM of the Chicago Bulls, outlined two dire needs for his team as the offseason signing period started; a backup big man who can defend and rebound and a defensive-minded small forward.  K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune is reporting that thus far Krause has brought in Danny Manning, Corie Blount and Brian Skinner - all of whom fit the bill for the first need - so what is happening with the second?

According to Johnson the Bulls are not trying to sign a small forward, instead they are trying to acquire one via trade.  Even though both teams claim otherwise, Krause is trying to pry forward Mike Miller away from the Orlando Magic in exchange for power forward Marcus Fizer.  The hang up at the moment is the Magic are also trying to include Jamal Crawford to which Krause will not budge.

Should a deal not be able to be made between the two teams Chicago still has interest in Philadelphia free agent Matt Harpring, but Harpring's restricted free agent status has prevented the team from making him an offer, especially while talks with Miller are still taking place.  Philadelphia has said it plans to match any offer for Harpring which means a sign and trade might be necessary, Fizer's name again popping up.

Another option for the Bulls, albiet a long shot, might be Rashard Lewis of the Seattle Supersonics who is unhappy with the offer his current team has put to him.  Lewis is the best prospect available this offseason.

So where does this leave Eddie Robinson, the high flying foward the Bulls signed to a $31.2 million deal last summer?  According to Johnson some in management believe that starting Robinson alongside Jalen Rose, who will play shooting guard, will leave too many defensive deficiencies for the Bulls.

Jerry Brewer of the Orlando Sentinel reports: The Orlando Magic, desperate for active bodies in the post, have turned to 21-year-old Nigerian center Olunide Oyedeji. In what could be their final move to add new players during this free agency, the team signed Oyedeji (his name is pronounced oh-LOOM-uh-day oi-yah-DAY-gee) on Sunday. His deal is believed to be for one year and worth the league minimum for a player with 2 years of service which is $587,435.

Oyedeji played in only 66 games the past two seasons with Seattle. In 36 appearances last season, he averaged 1.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 6.1 minutes.

Also, there was some confusion over whether Oyedeji was a restricted free agent or but the magic confirmed that he was unrestricted because Seattle did not make him a qualifying offer.

In other magic news, Magic GM John Gabriel said that Patrick Ewing is leaning towards ending his 17-year career and that he has had discussions with Ewing's agent, David Falk, about a buyout of the final year of his contract in which he will make about $2.3 million. (Note: If Ewing was bought out, the amount of the buyout would count against the cap for the coming season and if the buyout is for less than the $2.3 million figure, it would give Orlando a little more wiggle room between their current 2002/2003 payroll figure of $48,373,650 million (assuming first round pick Ryan Himphrey gets 120 percent of his rookie scale salary) and the league-projected 2003 luxury tax figure of $50 million (RealGM thinks $53-55 million).

Finally, The Magic are inching closer to an agreement with Garrity, according to sources on both sides of the negotiations. A deal could be reached within the next few days. There was no mention in the article about the terms but it's believed that Orlando is offering Garrity a multi-year deal at around $2 million a season.

If so, the Magic would then turn their attention to re-signing Williams and signing rookie forward Ryan Humphrey.

Note: There was no mention of guard William "Smush" Parker who has been a standout on Orlando's summer league team and this along with the fact that Orlando has close to a full roster could mean that "Smush" could be in another team's training camp this fall. Stay tuned to our RealGM's Orlando Magic Affiliate, MagicPride (a.k.a. magic.realgm.com) for more developments on this story.

ESPN.com reports that the Orlando Magic have signed Seattle free agent center Olumide Oyedji.

An athletic but raw talent, the 6-10, 255-pound Oyedeji joins the Magic after spending his first two seasons with the Seattle SuperSonics. Last season, Oyedeji played in 36 games, averaging just 1.5 points and 2.2 rebounds per contest.

A native of Nigeria, Oyedeji had a chance to impress the Magic, playing for the club's team in the Orlando Professional Summer League, where he averaged 7.8 points and 7.2 rebounds.