

Salary-cap gamecould get tricky


The Darko-Meter was all over the place last week.

The Orlando Magic's Darko Milicic was OK against the Boston Celtics, bad against the Denver Nuggets and very good against the Charlotte Bobcats.

He was so good against the 'Cats that you could have ruled out the club having enough money to sign a prize free agent this summer.

Why follow the bouncing ball from week-to-week with Darko?

Because Darko's yet-to-be-determined worth has a colossal impact on the Magic's salary-cap situation, their upcoming free-agent search and their future.

If he proves he has the potential to become a starting power forward, the Magic have the option to pay Darko big money (a contract starting at a minimum of $7 million-$8 million per year), which will eat up a majority of their available projected cap dough for next season.

This effectively would end any long-shot chance of signing free agents such as Vince Carter or Rashard Lewis to maximum deals this summer. The Magic don't want to pay the punitive luxury tax that affects over-spenders.

They once figured that they could be in play for a star free agent if Milicic was not worth re-signing, Grant Hill retired and the league cap number was bumped up.

Now a big year for Milicic not only precludes them from signing a Carter or a Lewis, but the Darko factor also affects their re-signing of Hill.

Hill's seven-year deal ends this season. Grant has indicated he wants to stay and would play for the veteran's minimum of $1.2 million. While that's a commendable goodwill gesture, things might change if he stays healthy.

Now, let's say Milicic doesn't ever displace veteran Tony Battie as the starting power forward and he has so-so numbers this season. Then what? What is his fair-market value?

The Magic will let other teams decide that. They allowed Milicic to become a restricted free agent after not signing him to an extension last month, meaning they still can match any offer. The team could have signed him last month, but didn't.

They want to see more, and who can blame them?

There are few teams that have the cap room to go crazy for Darko. But if one did, don't expect General Manager Otis Smith to overpay -- even for a 7-footer.

If they let him go -- parting with a young, versatile big man is tough -- they obviously would have more cap room available.

The Magic always could execute a sign-and-trade with Milicic to another team, too, and receive players. Or if they can get him for less and have money left over, they could go after affordable veteran free agents, such as Jerry Stackhouse or Michael Finley.

The Magic, whose payroll is around $60 million this season, also are looking at handing extensions to Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson next summer that go into effect for the 2008-09 season. The luxury-tax threshold this season is $65.42 million, but that changes every season.


Magic guard Keyon Dooling says he and Seattle SuperSonics guard and sparring partner Ray Allen have made peace. Dooling and Allen fought and tumbled into the crowd in Seattle last season, each earning an ejection and suspension. Recently, when Allen and the Sonics were in Orlando, they cleared the air with the help of their boyhood referees: their mothers. "Funny thing, but Ray and I talked the last time we played. We had a really good conversation. It was awesome," Dooling said. "His mom met my mom, too. They were both at the game. We apologized to each other. We were just being men about the whole situation."


Don't expect Fran Vazquez to play in Orlando until 2009-10, if at all. Vazquez, the Magic's runaway 2005 lottery pick, has changed teams in Spain again. He left Akasvayu Girona and now plays for FC Winterthru -- with former Magic center Mario Kasun. A European Web site said he signed for four years, plus an option. Fran The Fraud's value to the Magic? Nil. Listen to this quote from him: "I hope [Winterthru Coach] Dusko Ivanovic is able to get out of me what was lacking last year and I can start enjoying basketball again." Great.


Look for Indiana Pacers guard Darrell Armstrong, 38, formerly of the Magic, to try to play one more season and then retire. He hopes to become an NBA assistant coach, and if the Magic have an opening, he'd be all ears.


Magic rookie guard J.J. Redick has yet to play in a regular-season game. But a lot of e-mails I receive ask about Redick, one of college basketball's most decorated players while at Duke. Magic Senior Vice President Pat Williams received a request for a Redick autograph on a photo. It was from Ron Wolf, the ex-Green Bay Packers general manager. "Ron said he wants to hang it with J.J.'s autograph in his study," Williams said.


Grant Hill, a Duke alum upon learning the "Cameron Crazies" were being restricted: "The fire marshal must be a North Carolina grad.


Wednesday: Indiana Pacers at Magic. Pacers took the first game two weeks ago in Indy. Tony Battie needed a GPS to keep track of Al Harrington.

Friday: Magic at Miami Heat. Good news for you, Dwight Howard: Shaq's out. Bad news: Alonzo Mourning wants to see you.

Saturday: Atlanta Hawks at Magic. Should be a payback game for the Magic, who were awful in an earlier loss at Atlanta. Maybe this time they'll have an answer for Zaza Pachulia and at least a suggestion for Joe Johnson.

Monday: Magic at Utah Jazz. So much for easing into the season's longest road trip. The Jazz have started out so hot you wonder if Karl Malone and John Stockton left their rocking chairs.


You'll read elsewhere on this page that Magic guard Keyon Dooling and Ray Allen recently exchanged apologies for their fight last season.

Oddly, Dooling was ejected a week ago for his hard foul against Boston Celtics forward Wally Szczerbiak. Dooling said, half-joking, that he's been labeled "a dirty player," but the truth is the Magic need to be more, uh, physical.

We're not in favor of injuring anyone. But why didn't anybody knock the Philadelphia 76ers' Kyle Korver on his butt a few weeks ago to disrupt his rhythm?

Coaches chastised a Magic starter during Wednesday's game against the Denver Nuggets for not delivering a message-sending foul.


1. Utah Jazz. And Andrei Kirilenko is out.

2. Shaq. He's on shelf. Time for No. 6 to make a move.

3. San Antonio Spurs. Face Mavs on Friday (ESPN).

4. Isiah Thomas. Coach's 'T' ruined New York rally vs. Celts, taking heat off Doc Rivers.

5. L.A. Clippers. Imagine if Bulls still had Elton Brand.

6. Orlando Magic. Can have say in division.

7. C-Webb. Another unhappy zillionaire.

8. Rick Carlisle. Pacers coach should refrain from "shot in the arm" references.

9. New Orleans/Okie City. Jeff Bower for GM of year.

10. Early disappointments: Heat, Suns, Bulls, Bucks.

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