Grant Hill hopes to return to practice with the Orlando Magic late next month.

Hill plans to return to practice in late-February and hopefully play the final 10 games of the season.

The reason for only the final 10 games is because sources say that his contract is 80 percent insured if he plays 10 games or less this season.

"[The doctor] said, 'Get ready," ' said Hill, who underwent a fourth surgery on his left ankle last March. "He's allowed me to do everything. He's not holding me back at all. Now, it's a matter of doing it repetitively. It's building. It's like knocking down one wall, then there's another hurdle to jump."

Orlando Magic COO John Weisbrod reiterated on wednesday that while head coach Johnny Davis would return next season, that at least half of the team wouldn't.

"I don't think a new voice is necessary. He is the right voice," Weisbrod said Wednesday. "I'm inclined perhaps to have 6 to 8 new sets of ears [players] rather than a new voice."

Davis is 12-24 as head coach since taking over for Doc Rivers on Nov. 17.

Magic guard Tracy McGrady is expected to play tonight in Washington after leaving Monday's 99-98 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers with a sprained left big toe.

"I hope to be back Wednesday," McGrady said. "It killed me to miss what I did Monday. I don't expect this to linger. I want to play if I can."

Keith Bogans (bruised right quadriceps), Drew Gooden (left hip flexor) and Tyronn Lue (bruised left knee) are also expected to play.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Rookie guard Reece Gaines was activated from the injured list Sunday by the Orlando Magic before their game against the Houston Rockets.

Gaines was sidelined since Dec. 5 with right knee patella tendinitis, missing 26 games.

The 15th overall pick in the 2003 draft has scored nine points in 14 games.

"Powerhouse agent David Falk doesn't know if the Magic will trade his client, Juwan Howard, but he tells the Sentinel that having both "Juwan and Drew Gooden is redundant." Falk was in New York last week to see Howard and take in the Knicks-Magic. "The Magic need to make a trade to get a big guy," he said.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Magic forward Lee Nailon was signed to a second 10-day contract by Orlando on Friday after averaging 7.3 points and 3 rebounds in four games.

He signed his first 10-day deal Jan. 5.

The 6-foot-9 Nailon was a second-round draft pick in 1999 by Charlotte. He has played 190 career games with Charlotte, New York, Atlanta and Orlando.

It appears that other teams had interest in Isiah Thomas as a head coach before the Knicks snatched him up to be their team president.

"Thomas, president of basketball operations for the Knicks, told New York reporters that he "talked with Orlando and Phoenix only to find out they were going in another direction. But as things turned out, to my great surprise, I ended up with a far better job."

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) The Orlando Magic signed free agent forward Lee Nailon to a 10-day contract Monday and waived center Mengke Bateer.

Nailon played in 27 games this season for the Atlanta Hawks, averaging 5.3 points and 2.3 rebounds. He was waived Dec. 29.

Bateer had not played since joining the Magic on Friday. He was traded from Toronto to Orlando for forward Robert Archibald.

The Raptors also sent Orlando the rights to 2003 second-round draft choice Remon Van de Hare and the option to swap second-round draft positions at the 2005 draft.

Bateer averaged 1.1 points and 1.1 rebounds in seven games with Toronto.

On Christmas Day, Doc Rivers and Horace Grant were seen shacking hands before Rivers was set to call the Los Angeles Lakers game against the Houston Rockets along AL Michaels for ABC.

The two hadn't spoken they had a falling out in late 2002 when Rivers was coaching the Magic and Grant was in his second stint with the team.

"Life's too short to go around not speaking to each other," Rivers said Sunday. "I had my mind made up to go say something to him. Horace said it wasn't the way he wanted things to end here. Shaq was funny. He said, 'Hit 'em, Doc!' " . . .