Magic gets 10 games on NBC

By Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 28, 2000

Perhaps anticipating that the Magic will be greatly improved by the expected signings of at least two marquee free agents, NBC will show Orlando games 10 times this season.

That will be the most in team history (Orlando has made eight NBC appearances twice) and will dwarf the three appearances it made last season when it went 41-41 and narrowly missed the playoffs with a roster of mostly no-names.

The Magic, expected to sign Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady and perhaps Maurice Taylor next week, will appear on NBC once against San Antonio, New York, Detroit and Toronto, and twice against Indiana, Miami and the defending champion Lakers.

Orlando also will have 10 games on Turner Sports' two cable stations. Key games will include Dec. 28 and March 4 against Detroit, the only team Hill has played for, and Jan. 23 and April 1 against Toronto, McGrady's most recent home.

The Magic opens the regular season at home against Washington on Oct. 31.

The preseason schedule is expected to be released soon.

MORE MAGIC: General manager John Gabriel met with free-agent center/forward Brad Miller, though he spent considerable time answering questions about more highly acclaimed forward Maurice Taylor.

Miller, who has spent his two seasons as a backup with the Hornets, is a possible replacement for Ben Wallace, who said he intends to sign with the Pistons.

Taylor, a free agent with the Clippers, met with the Magic last week and Tuesday told the Orange County (Calif.) Register he wants to play in Orlando if the Magic can create salary-cap room to afford him, sparking speculation a deal has been done.

The Magic, though, is expected to use all its cap room to sign Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady to maximum allowable contracts, which the NBA estimates will start with a $9.7-million salary next season.

Even if the Magic trades forward Matt Harpring and loses Wallace and guard Chucky Atkins to free agency, its available cap room likely will be less than $2-million.

Around the league

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -- The NBA players union got a visit from Black Entertainment Television owner Robert Johnson, who could be interested in forming a partnership to purchase the Continental Basketball Association from Isiah Thomas.

The union has signed a letter of understanding with Thomas to explore a sale of the CBA, and the union has an exclusive negotiating window until Aug. 6.

Union director Billy Hunter said the union will likely decide before then whether to make an offer.

"The fact that we're doing due diligence on this deal indicates that (the players) are not turned off by it," Hunter said.

Before a decision comes on whether to make a formal offer, the matter faces further review from the union's executive committee.

A majority of the 29 player representatives would have to approve a purchase of the CBA, which Thomas, the new Pacers coach, is being forced to sell before training camps open in early October.

LAKERS: Los Angeles will begin the defense of its NBA championship on the road against the Trail Blazers, whom they defeated in seven games in the Western Conference finals this past season.

That game is one of 13 scheduled for Oct. 31, the first day of the upcoming NBA season.

Other highlights that day include Philadelphia visiting New York and Isiah Thomas making his coaching debut as Indiana opens on the road at San Antonio.

The Pacers and the Lakers, last season's finalists, play twice. Los Angeles hosts the Pacers Nov. 28 and travels to Indiana Feb. 18.

WNBA

WASHINGTON: The Mystics placed starting point guard Andrea Nagy on the injured list and signed guard Renee Robinson.

Nagy, who has a strained groin, will miss at least three games. Nagy is fourth in the league in assists, averaging 5.1 per game.

UTAH: Forward Naomi Mulitauaopele went on the injured list with a bruised knee ligament and the Starzz filled her roster spot by signing Kym Hope.

Mulitauaopele was hurt in a July 15 game at Sacramento. She's averaging 4.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in 13.2 minutes.

- Staff writer Darrell Fry contributed to this report.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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