http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/ orl-sptmside03080304aug03,1,1524711.story?coll=orl-magic Magic sign vet forward Augmon Grant Hill is playing without pain, and Stacey Augmon adds defensive depth. By Tim Povtak | Sentinel Staff Writer Posted August 3, 2004 The Orlando Magic soon could be overloaded at small forward after signing veteran Stacey Augmon on Monday. It's a problem they would love to have. Magic General Manager John Weisbrod signed Augmon despite Weisbrod leaving Duke University last week after seeing a fit-looking Grant Hill play full-speed five-on-five basketball with several former Blue Devils players. Hill had invited Weisbrod to Duke to watch him scrimmage. Also playing were former Magic player Corey Maggette, Memphis forward Shane Battier and Magic teammate Pat Garrity, who missed last season after knee surgery. "Grant looked great, jumping, running with no pain and no ice bags afterward. I don't want to get too excited before we see it here for an extended period, but I came back feeling good about both our guys," Weisbrod said. Hill has missed most of the past four seasons with left ankle problems that have required numerous surgeries. He has said that if this comeback attempt fails that he would retire. "We're going to be built the same way whether he plays or not," Weisbrod said. "If he can play, it's icing on the cake for us. But if that icing on the cake turns out to be our best player, that's a great bonus. Right now it's too fantastic for me to think it yet." Earlier this summer the Magic signed small forward Hedo Turkoglu to a six-year $40 million contract, hoping he can help provide some of the scoring they will need because they traded Tracy McGrady. Because they had no salary-cap room, they were able to offer Augmon only a one-year $1.2 million (the veteran's minimum with 10 years of service) contract with an option for a second year. Augmon, 36, played last season with the New Orleans Hornets, where he averaged 5.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 20.5 minutes. He is considered a defensive stopper at this stage of his career, keeping with Weisbrod's philosophy of getting more team-oriented defensive players on this roster. Augmon has spent his career with Atlanta, Portland and Charlotte/New Orleans, averaging 8.5 points and 3.4 rebounds. He also has been in 77 career playoff games. "He's been in the playoffs 12 years in a row. That doesn't happen by accident," Weisbrod said. "Everyone believes he'll be a fantastic team guy, a glue guy. We had our eye on him from the start of free agency. We're happy to get him." The signing of Augmon gives the Magic 13 players, plus DeShawn Stevenson, under contract. The Magic made Stevenson a one-year qualifying offer, which made him a restricted free agent. Stevenson has been shopping his services throughout the NBA, but the Magic will have the option of matching any offer he receives. There also is a good chance he will return with a one-year deal, then become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Tim Povtak can be reached at [email protected]. --

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