Orlando Magic sweat it out but get their man

Jun. 27--Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith said he didn't give Courtney Lee any indication the club would pick him before Thursday night's NBA Draft -- on purpose.

"Just like I had to sweat when I got picked years ago," laughed Smith, a former Magic forward and second-round pick by the Denver Nuggets.

It was Smith, though, who ended up sweating as an executive, wondering if Lee would still be available by the time Orlando picked at No. 22 in the first round. He was.

"Until you get a guy, you don't have a guy," Smith said. "You sweat it the whole way through. We were sweating. He's a guy we targeted in that area.

"I had concerns he'd get there. He's NBA-ready, and we have some holes to fill."

Lee said he got some good vibes after working out for the Magic, but said, "It was up in the air. On draft night, anything can happen, so I was keeping my fingers crossed and just praying."

Brandon Rush of Kansas was the Magic's top-rated shooting guard in the draft, but Rush was selected No. 13 by the Portland Trail Blazers and then traded to the Indiana Pacers.

Lee will be introduced today in Orlando at a news conference. He is expected to sign a three-year contract worth a little more than $3 million, starting at $980,000, according to the NBA rookie salary scale.

With incumbent starter Maurice Evans exploring free agency, shooting guard became a priority for Orlando.

Lee, 6 foot-5, 200 lbs., is described as a terrific shooter, especially from mid-range. Evans is a slasher who also who was stationed in the corners for 3-point attempts.

The Magic lived and died with the 3-point shot last season, with Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu launching from downtown at will. They needed a player who also could offer a mid-range shooting game as Grant Hill did, but that is not a strength for Evans.

"Lee can really shoot the ball, which is what I like. He's real athletic and can defend," Coach Stan Van Gundy said. "He's a guy that got better every year in college. . . . Not a guy we're looking at for potential; he's a guy that got it done in college."