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ORLANDO - The Magic's offseason shopping list is long, but not as lengthy as its drought of postseason success.
Thursday's draft is the start of a crucial renovation process for the Magic, desperate for improvement after failing to advance past the playoffs' first round in five appearances since 1996. The team also looks to be active in the free-agent market, which opens Tuesday and culminates when players can be signed July 16.
"Everything that you're going to do with your team, all your successes, all your goals, really hinge on your performance over the next three weeks in the draft, in free agency and in your ability to re-sign your own players back," Magic general manager John Gabriel said.
Orlando returns a solid core in guard Tracy McGrady and power forward Drew Gooden. But for a team that has gone seven seasons without topping 45 wins, what's needed is everything else.
"The point guard position is what we're looking at, but we need ... a stronger bench, a backup 2-3," coach Doc Rivers said. "But we just want better talent."
While the Magic has many holes to fill on a roster that could feature six new faces next season, it won't have to clip coupons and shop for bargains.
Owner Rich DeVos has let the front office know the purse strings have been loosened. It's a dramatic turnaround from the last two years of penny pinching, when the Magic claimed to be losing $10-million annually and DeVos briefly toyed with selling the franchise.
Orlando also might get some financial relief from the disaster that has been oft-injured forward Grant Hill.
The team, believing Hill's fourth ankle surgery will sideline him for the coming season, has applied to the NBA for the medical salary-cap exception. If granted, that $4.8-million would help Orlando fill the void created by the injured Hill, who is entering the fourth season of a seven-year, $93-million contract.
In the draft, Orlando has two picks: 15th and 42nd. As usual, the Magic was mum on whom it liked while downplaying expectations.
"I wouldn't be shocked if a point guard wouldn't be there for us because there's such needs from teams below us," Gabriel said.
Come Tuesday, when teams can start negotiating with free agents, Orlando will have to decide what to do with its six players whose contracts are up.
The best bets to return are point guard Darrell Armstrong and center Andrew DeClercq. But nothing is certain for Orlando in this time of upheaval.
HAWKS: The team will make a $2.93-million qualifying offer to Jason Terry, ensuring it can match any deal for the free-agent guard.
Atlanta hasn't decided whether to make a qualifying offer of $2.27-million to guard Dion Glover. The deadline is Monday.