Marc Berman of the New York Post reports that Patrick Ewing will be in foreign territory come Dec. 15. For the first time since after the trading deadline of the 1996-97 season, he won't be able to decide his future.

Ewing, the Magic's fast-fading backup center, can be traded Dec. 15, the same as all free agents signed over the summer. GM Scott Layden can really work the phones in 21/2 weeks to add big-man insurance, gauging whether players he inquired about over the summer are available for trade.

Some possibilities include Calvin Booth, Joe Smith and Shawn Bradley. Golden State's Mark Jackson signed late and can't be traded until early January - something the Warriors intend to do.

According to Magic GM John Gabriel, neither the Knicks - nor any other team - have inquired about Ewing and he doubts anything will happen, though his role has been considerably downsized to unrecognizable for Knick fans who remember him only as their franchise center.