The Orlando Magic have contacted Rasheed Wallace's agent and likely will not match the Dallas Mavericks' pending offer sheet
for Marcin Gortat and want perhaps one last chance at re-signing Hedo Turkoglu.
Magic General Manager Otis Smith told the Sentinel on Friday that he has been in contact with Wallace's agent, Bill Strickland.
Smith disputed reports that Wallace was making a visit to Orlando, although he said "it was possible" a some point.
Smith agreed that Wallace, a veteran 6 feet 11 power forward, would be a nice "fit"alongside center Dwight Howard, but "it just depends on what Rasheed wants to do."
Gortat, according to reports, has committed to sign the Mavs' offer sheet, with Howard's back-up apparently commanding a mid-level contract starting at $5.6 million.
Smith said he had yet to receive an offer sheet from the Mavs. But he reiterated his stance that the club --- which can match any offer for Gortat because he is a restricted free agent --- will not pay that steep price to keep him.
"Those numbers are a little rich for a back-up center, a guy playing behind my best player (Dwight Howard)," Smith said. "If it's 5 (million), it puts you in a situation (financially) that you don't recover from."
If, or perhaps when, Gortat signs the Mavs' offer sheet on July 8 --- the first day free agents can agree to deals --- the Magic would have seven days to match.
As far as Turkoglu is concerned, he is being given the full-court press by the Trail Blazers and visited Portland on Thursday. Reports say that the Blazers could offer Turk a five-year, $50-million contract. The Toronto Raptors are also said to be in play for Turkoglu, 30, a versatile small forward who played the past five seasons in Orlando.
Smith said the it would be "a long-shot to get something done" with Turkoglu, but added that he had spoken with Lon Babby, Turkoglu's agent, and they agreed to talk before Turkoglu accepted a contract proposal with any team.
"We had a conversation with Lon about where we would go when he comes back," Smith said. "We'll see if it makes more sense to us. We like Turk, there's no question about that. But we've said that it was a long-shot to get something done."
Smith said he had not extended offer sheets to any free agent as of yet. "We're having conversations with the people we want to have conversations with," he said.
Magic General Manager Otis Smith told the Sentinel on Friday that he has been in contact with Wallace's agent, Bill Strickland.
Smith disputed reports that Wallace was making a visit to Orlando, although he said "it was possible" a some point.
Smith agreed that Wallace, a veteran 6 feet 11 power forward, would be a nice "fit"alongside center Dwight Howard, but "it just depends on what Rasheed wants to do."
Gortat, according to reports, has committed to sign the Mavs' offer sheet, with Howard's back-up apparently commanding a mid-level contract starting at $5.6 million.
Smith said he had yet to receive an offer sheet from the Mavs. But he reiterated his stance that the club --- which can match any offer for Gortat because he is a restricted free agent --- will not pay that steep price to keep him.
"Those numbers are a little rich for a back-up center, a guy playing behind my best player (Dwight Howard)," Smith said. "If it's 5 (million), it puts you in a situation (financially) that you don't recover from."
If, or perhaps when, Gortat signs the Mavs' offer sheet on July 8 --- the first day free agents can agree to deals --- the Magic would have seven days to match.
As far as Turkoglu is concerned, he is being given the full-court press by the Trail Blazers and visited Portland on Thursday. Reports say that the Blazers could offer Turk a five-year, $50-million contract. The Toronto Raptors are also said to be in play for Turkoglu, 30, a versatile small forward who played the past five seasons in Orlando.
Smith said the it would be "a long-shot to get something done" with Turkoglu, but added that he had spoken with Lon Babby, Turkoglu's agent, and they agreed to talk before Turkoglu accepted a contract proposal with any team.
"We had a conversation with Lon about where we would go when he comes back," Smith said. "We'll see if it makes more sense to us. We like Turk, there's no question about that. But we've said that it was a long-shot to get something done."
Smith said he had not extended offer sheets to any free agent as of yet. "We're having conversations with the people we want to have conversations with," he said.
