For the fifth consecutive season, the Orlando Magic begin training camp with so many new players that the coaches might need to call roll before practice.

If there's one thing the Magic have been willing to do lately, it is change. They do this because of Grant Hill's injury hardship, as well as their philosophy to tie up long-term cap space only to the right players.

For all the change, however, the identity of the franchise has remained the same. They have been smarter than most teams but lacking overall in athletic talent. They have scored plenty but relied too heavily on jump shots. They have failed to show the toughness -- mental and physical -- required of a true contender.

So much change for so little change.

This season has the potential to be different. When Magic Coach Doc Rivers opens camp Tuesday for players with less than four years of experience, he will begin the process of trying to mold a younger, more athletic and more versatile unit. The Magic are not exactly oversized and brute, but this should not be the same old team. A change in personnel finally should result in a change in the overall product.

"Size-wise, we're as balanced and equipped as we've ever been under Doc," Magic General Manager John Gabriel said.

Everyone must wait to see if difference equals victories, but after three straight first-round exits in the playoffs, something had to be done.

In the off-season, Orlando added six players to the roster. By the time training camp is over, a seventh new face, probably another point guard, likely will join the group. This squad will be the youngest in team history. The average age of the 14 players with guaranteed deals is 24.9. Even by season's end, that number will increase to only 25.5. Final rosters have not been set, but the Magic are projected to be one of the five youngest teams in the league this season.

The Orlando Magic strengthened their frontcourt Tuesday by signing former Florida Gator Donnell Harvey, who played 77 games last season with the Denver Nuggets, averaging career highs with 7.9 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game.

The 6-foot-8, 220-pound Harvey is expected to play at both small and power forward for the Magic. Harvey, 23, played just his freshman season at Florida, helping the Gators reach the NCAA championship game in 2000. He came into the NBA as the 22nd pick of the New York Knicks, who traded him immediately to Dallas, where he began his career.

Last season Harvey played alongside Juwan Howard, the Magic's marquee free-agent signee. The team hopes Harvey can become a physical, defensive stopper behind projected starters Howard and Drew Gooden.

From inexperience, the Orlando Magic now speak.

"I can't say I'm a veteran," power forward Drew Gooden said by telephone last week. "I've played only one season. I only played 26 games in Orlando. I feel like I'm still new."

Gooden will celebrate his 22nd birthday Wednesday. It almost qualifies him as elderly on this team.

One week before training camp, all you see is youth around the Magic. They are two tiers of young: young and really young.

In an astonishing upset, the Magic improved their athleticism, toughness and basketball savvy this off-season -- and got younger. It cost them a few million dollars as well as some cookies and milk.

After Gooden's birthday, the average age of the 13 players with sure roster spots will be 24.9. Subtract the injured Grant Hill, and that average is 24.5. The Magic figure to sign forward Donnell Harvey, 23, soon, and he will put them at 24.4.

They're inexperienced, too. Seven players (Harvey would make eight) have less than three years of service.

And, lucky them, they must conquer this franchise's latest impossible challenge: The young Magic can't be young, especially Gooden.

The Magic signed free agent Ousmane Cisse, a 6-foot-9, 250-pound forward, to a contract today.

Cisse (pronounced OOS-mahn SEE-say) played on the Magic's summer league team averaging 1.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 9.8 minutes a game. He spent time last year with Adirondack (N.Y.) and Brevard of the USBL and was originally chosen by Denver with the 47th overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft.

He was an early entry candidate directly from St. Jude High School (Montgomery, Ala.) and was named First Team All-America by Parade Magazine and was a McDonald's All-American after averaging 29 points, 16 rebounds and 12 blocks in 2000-01.

Cisse will participate in the Magic's training camp next week at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex and brings the team's roster to 16 players.

You want to know what's keeping Donnell Harvey from signing with the Orlando Magic? Just the fax, man.

The Magic have been waiting for Harvey's signed contract to arrive by fax. But Harvey lives in a remote portion of Georgia and the nearest place with a fax machine is about 30 miles away, according to Magic General Manager John Gabriel, who expects a deal by Tuesday.

"He lives in a place where he can't get to one right away," said Gabriel, who expects to have Harvey signed either Monday or Tuesday.

Harvey's agent, Dan Fegan, said Friday, "Donnell's coming to Orlando."

He will sign a one-year deal. A 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward, Harvey, a former Florida Gator, played with the Denver Nuggets last season, averaging 7.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

Donnell Harvey is gone, Shawn Kemp is out of the running and Chris Andersen is in limbo.

With two weeks remaining before training camp, the Denver Nuggets have yet to decide on a reserve power forward to round out their roster.

"We're just trying to keep an open mind at this point and not rush into anything prematurely," Nuggets coach Jeff Bzdelik said. "We're being patient. We feel real good about the squad we've been able to assemble."

Harvey, an unrestricted free agent, averaged 7.9 points and 5.3 rebounds for Denver last season but is close to signing a contract with the Orlando Magic. He and the Nuggets never entered serious negotiations during the off-season.

Harvey's departure presents an opportunity for Andersen, another young player who averaged 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds, but he and the Nuggets remain in contract negotiations.

Andersen, one of several players attending regular workouts at the Pepsi Center, will not have competition from Kemp, a six-time All-Star and former Olympian. Kemp worked out for the Nuggets during his second visit to Denver earlier this week, but the 6-foot-10, 280-pound forward failed to impress.

"I don't think Shawn's going to be a fit for us," Bzdelik said.

"We need someone who can play the style we want to play, which is a very high pace. Obviously, that person needs to be in great condition."

Grant Hill may not return to the basketball court this season for the Orlando Magic, but he could become an NBA studio analyst with ESPN.

Hill, who has missed most of the past three seasons because of ongoing problems with his left ankle, auditioned with ESPN last week at its studios in Bristol, Conn.

According to his agent, though, Hill remains fully committed to rehabilitating his ankle and trying to return to the Magic.

"If this works out -- and it's only in the early, exploratory stages -- it would be with the understanding that his playing career was still the priority," said agent Lon Babby on Wednesday. "This is, in no way, a sign that he isn't coming back. It has nothing to do with that."

ESPN spokesman Dave Nagle confirmed that the possibility of adding Hill was under discussion. Hill did not return a phone message to discuss the possibility.

Hill has four years remaining on the seven-year, $92 million contract he signed with the Magic as a free agent. He has undergone four surgeries to his left ankle, three since joining the franchise prior to the 2000-01 season. He said earlier this month that he hopes to resume playing at some point this season.

Hill would consider a one-day-a-week studio-analyst job in the meantime, but only if it didn't interfere with his comeback plans.

ESPN has not officially contacted the Magic in regard to signing Hill to a contract. The Magic would have to approve of any deal he struck with ESPN, but General Manager John Gabriel said Thursday he didn't know enough about the plan to comment.

The Orlando Magic likely will wait until after training camp begins to sign a veteran point guard, but they are looking to immediately add another big man with Florida ties.

The Magic are trying to sign former Florida Gator Donnell Harvey, a rugged 6-foot-8, 220-pound power forward. They have competition from the Denver Nuggets and the Washington Wizards for his services.

Magic General Manager John Gabriel said there's more work to do to land Harvey -- a favorite of Coach Doc Rivers.

"But I would think we got a chance," Gabriel said.

Harvey would give the Magic something they lack off the bench: a physical defensive presence, Gabriel said.

Harvey, a three-year pro, averaged 7.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last season in Denver.

Gabriel said signing Harvey would not preclude the Magic from adding a point guard. The club is looking for a veteran to relieve Tyronn Lue and mentor rookie Reece Gaines.

John Crotty and Shammond Williams -- veterans who both played with the Nuggets last season -- are among several guards who have been invited to camp.

In a move that should strengthen their defense and athleticism, the Orlando Magic will sign Donnell Harvey today to a one-year contract.

Harvey, a 6-foot-8, 220-pounder from the University of Florida, can play both forward slots and is an especially strong defender. He has spent the past two weeks in Orlando, working out for Magic officials. Harvey, a three-year pro, averaged 7.9 points and 5.3 rebounds a game last season for the Denver Nuggets.

"I think we need another swingman and I like Harvey a lot," Magic coach Doc Rivers said recently. "I think he can really help us."

For Nick Van Exel, the Golden State Warriors may be just part of his journey this season, not the final destination.

At the same time, the former Maverick has no intention to force a trade, his agent said Friday and will be in Hawaii next month when the Warriors open camp.

"If he's not traded by then, he'll report," Van Exel's agent, Tony Dutt, said. "In this day and age, you're limited to what you can do. If they can make a move that benefits them and benefits Nick, I would hope they consider it. I understand there's a lot of interest, from what I read and hear out there."

Van Exel was one of the key ingredients in a nine-player trade completed Aug. 18 between the Mavericks and Golden State. In return for Van Exel and four other players, the Mavericks obtained 6-9 forward Antawn Jamison, a career 20 point-a-game scorer, along with Danny Fortson, Jiri Welsch and Chris Mills.

Dutt said Van Exel has not specifically asked to be dealt from Golden State.

"It's more the understanding at this point," Dutt said. "Everybody knows that when you put Nick into a playoff situation, he plays his best ball. I'm not saying Golden State isn't a good team, but the timetables might be different."