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Two years ago, Doc Rivers was voted coach of the year and John Gabriel was voted executive of the year. Gabriel had engineered myriad moves to clear up salary-cap space for two superstars: Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady.

And under the guidance of Rivers ? a charismatic, driven coach ? the Magic appeared to be poised to contend for a championship.

But the magic formula for this Florida franchise suddenly evaporated after Hill's right ankle injury turned him into a phantom. And the once-brilliant strokes of Gabriel have turned into questionable decisions.

Now, Orlando is just another mediocre team in the Eastern Conference. And owner Rich Devos, who has been credited with the franchise's success, is selling the team.

There's no guarantee that the new owner, who inherits a quandary regarding a new arena, is willing to shell out money, like Devos, for a winner.

Orlando's problems illustrate the luck that teams rely on when they choose to rebuild and how just one false move can make a franchise mediocre or worse.

The severity of Hill's injury brought second-guessing to Orlando's no-brainer decision, giving him a $92 million contract through 2006.

But the Magic compounded its problems with other moves that have hindered the franchise.

Orlando sorely needed a backup point guard before last year's draft. But it passed on Tony Parker and Jamaal Tinsley to select Jeryl Sasser. The latter has been stashed on the injured list for most of the season, while Parker and Tinsley look like future All-Stars.

To separate itself from top teams in the East, Orlando desired a solid if unspectacular center. The Magic signed the fossilized Patrick Ewing and Horace Grant to two-year contracts. The moves were understandable, with the assumption that Hill would be healthy enough to help the team contend for a title.

Gabriel drafted Brendan Haywood from North Carolina before dealing him to Washington, where he has emerged as the best rookie center.

Orlando still has hope that it can return to the elite status that Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal brought the club during the mid-1990s. The new master plan is to sign Tim Duncan when the Spurs' superstar becomes a free agent in 2003.

Duncan considered signing with Orlando in the summer of 2000 before returning to the Spurs. That's enough reason for the Magic to clear the necessary cap space for Duncan. (The Magic has only four players who will be under contract in 2003: Hill, McGrady, Sasser and Steven Hunter.)

But the maneuvering has cost Orlando a valuable player in Bo Outlaw, whose $6 million-per-year contract was shipped to Phoenix.

The move wouldn't have been made if the organization knew Hill would be out for the rest of the season. Outlaw was dealt on Nov. 16, only 10 days before Hill found out he needed season-ending surgery.

The Magic will be able to overcome Hill's injury if Duncan signs. One benefit of Hill's injury is that it accelerated the growth of Mike Miller, last year's rookie of the year.

But the Spurs have quietly made similar moves to free up money in 2003 for another star free agent, who would prod Duncan to return.

If that happens, Orlando's latest master plan for a title goes poof!