"I'm sure there's a way they can both Juwan and Drew come back next year, but I think it's fair to say that that's a chemistry issue and a maximizing-your-resources issue," Magic GM Weisbrod said. "The way it looked this season, it would be less than ideal to put ourselves in that position again."

Having said that and considering the fact that Gooden is almost 9 years younger than Howard, and has a shorter contract paying him annually less, it is safe to assume that the one likely to be available is Drew Gooden.

ESPN has announced that the Boston Celtics will name Doc Rivers as their new head coach tomorrow. A news conference is expected to take place on Thursday.

Rivers, who was fired by the Orlando Magic 11 games into the season will be with his second team as a head coach.  In his four seasons with the Magic, Rivers made the playoffs three times and was coach of the year in 2000.  

Rivers will be replacing interim head coach John Carroll, who on Monday was told by the Celtics that he would not be back as head coach.

In an unsuprising move the Orlando Magic are expected to leave oft-injured forward Grant Hill unprotected in the upcoming expansion draft.  Don't, however, expect the Charlotte Bobcats to bite.

NBA rules state that the Bobcats must take 14 players in the expansion draft with no more than one player coming from any team while working to a salary cap worth around $28 million, or 60% of the cap set for the rest of the league.  Hill is scheduled to make $14.4 next year.

Johnny Davis will not be a lameduck head coach going into next season.

Orlando Magic general manager John Weisbrod plans to give Davis, who is in the final year of a two-year deal he signed back in November, a contract extension before the start of the 2004-2005 season.

"Maybe by the time the season starts, it won't be the last year of his contract," Weisbrod said. "But there will be no question of his authority whether he's in the last year of his contract or not."

Davis went 20-51 last season after taking over for Doc Rivers, who was fired after a 1-10 start.

If the Magic believe that they can lure soon-to-be Boston Celtics center Mark Blount to Orlando with warm weather, then they might have a problem competing with the Miami Heat, who are also are interested in Blount, for his services.

Not only does Miami have warmer weather but they are also closer to Blount's offseason residence in Boca Raton.

"I just love the warm weather there in the summertime," he said.

Blount and the rest of the NBA's free agents can start talking to teams on July 1 and can formally sign contracts on July 14.

With Harvard being a well-regarded institute of higher education, one would think it would teach its students the basics of making a dramatic exit from a room.

First, make sure the door is not locked.

Harvard grad and former hockey player John Weisbrod insists he is not a hockey guy running a basketball team. But the new Magic general manager seemed to put his skate in his mouth when he began the offseason with an ultimatum to Tracy McGrady.

McGrady hardly covered himself in glory this season, often pouting about how hard it was being him. But he is the best thing the Magic have. He can score with his eyes closed. And he's under contract for at least another season.

Weisbrod said he would need a commitment from McGrady to stick around through the rebuilding or he would have to put him on the trading block. He tried to soften his stance later that night, then got huffy, wheeled around and tried to fly out the door only to find himself locked in.

"I have no intention of starting the season with an `I don't know' (from McGrady)," Weisbrod said in his more damaging gaffe. "That's a fair statement."

McGrady, who missed the last nine games of the season with tendinitis and has had back troubles, has not hidden his dissatisfaction with the Magic, who finished 21-61. He can opt out of his contract after next season and said he will evaluate how well the Orlando management improves the roster before he makes a decision.

"I just have to feel that we improved our team and improved the chances of getting back into the playoffs," McGrady said. "I definitely don't want to be on a team that finishes the regular season and there are no playoffs or on a team that loses 19 straight games again.

"If we make all of our moves, and we've improved our talent by training camp, maybe I'll go ahead and make my decision. I think the Magic definitely deserve to know what I want to do before the trade deadline. If I do decide to go, I don't want to play out the entire season and them get nothing for me. They helped me get to the player that I am now. If I do decide to leave, they deserve something in return."

Judgment Summer will arrive soon for McGrady. Before next season begins, the Orlando Magic would like their superstar to decide whether he wants to stay here long-term. If he doesn't want to or if he can't decide, the Magic will consider trading him.

For the second time in his NBA career, McGrady faces a critical decision. It comes four seasons after he left Toronto to be close to home and after the most disappointing year he's had since becoming a star.

Review: Began season in uncomfortable role as team leader. Slumped at the start. Struggled against zone defenses. Had wild thoughts of retirement. Watched team lose 19 in a row. Ripped teammates. Found his game. Ripped teammates. Scored 62 in a game. Ripped teammates. Ended season early because of knee pain.

"I had some low moments," McGrady said. "We all did. At times, did I get frustrated? Yes. Everybody did. Did I learn a lot? Yes, no question."

The Orlando Magic want to keep Tracy McGrady, but are willing to trade him if he wants to go. The league scoring champion wants to stay, but is demanding some improvements to the NBA's worst team.

It's clear that the future of the Magic is cloudy and that the team faces one of the most crucial offseasons in the franchise's 15-year history.

"I don't want to leave. I'll be the first to tell you, I don't want to leave," McGrady said Wednesday, before Orlando's season finale. "But I'm a competitor and I want to win."

Magic general manager John Weisbrod said he'd like McGrady to stay, but if he knows McGrady won't be back after next season, trading him would be the best move for the team.

"I don't want that misinterpreted that I'm looking for a way to trade him or we're predisposed to trading him," said Weisbrod, who took over as Orlando's GM last month. "We're obviously not. We'd like to build the thing around him."

Six-time allstar Shawn Kemp signed a contract with the Oklahoma Storm of the United States Basketball League.

"This commitment from Shawn speaks for itself," Storm general manager Tom Nelson said. "He wants to be actively involved with the team, and you can't get more active than this. Not too many USBL teams have ever had a six-time NBA All-Star on the court."

"Shawn is a household name and will provide some excitement this season for the USBL fans," said USBL commissioner Daniel T. Meisenheimer III.

Apparently, the John Gabriel to Toronto rumors aren't true or at least it seems they aren't.

The former general manager of the Orlando Magic denied Friday's report in the Orlando Sentinel that the Raptors had contacted him.

"No, it's not true," Gabriel said in a telephone interview. "I have not been contacted by the Raptors."

"I would be glad to talk to the Raptors, or anyone, about working in the league," Gabriel said. "Beyond that, I can't say much. But to say the Raptors have contacted me is not correct."

Gabriel was demoted by the Orlando Magic on March 12 and replaced by John Weisbrod.

The Raptors are searching for a new general manager after firing Glen Grunwald on April 1.