The Orlando Magic have signed guard Jameer Nelson to a multi-year contract extension, General Manager Otis Smith announced today.  Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed.

?Jameer (Nelson) is a key part of our foundation,? said Smith.  ?He is a tremendous leader, both on and off the court, and he will continue to improve as we strive to reach our ultimate goal.  We look forward to watching Jameer develop in a Magic uniform for many years to come.?

Nelson (6?, 190, 2/9/82) has played in 218 regular games during his NBA career, all with Orlando, averaging 11.9 ppg., 4.0 apg., 2.8 rpg. and 1.01 stlpg. in 26.3 minpg.  He also appeared in four playoff games last season, averaging 14.3 ppg., 3.3 apg. and 3.0 rpg. in 32.3 minpg.  

Originally selected with the 20th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by Denver, Nelson was acquired by the Magic on draft night (Jun. 24, 2004) in exchange for a future first round draft pick.  Nelson was named to the 2004-05 NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

Nelson spent four seasons at Saint Joseph?s University, averaging 16.8 ppg., 5.7 apg., 4.6 rpg. and 2.05 stlpg. in 125 career games.  He left as the school?s all-time leader in points (2,094), assists (713) and steals (256).  Following his senior season (2003-04), Nelson was the consensus National Player of the Year, earning the Associated Press, Naismith, Rupp, Robertson and Chevrolet Player of the Year awards.  He also shared the NABC top player award with Connecticut?s Emeka Okafor.  In addition, Nelson was selected as a unanimous First Team All-America by the Associated Press, named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and captured the Francis Pomeroy Naismith Award, signifying the top player in the country 6-feet and under.  Nelson had his jersey number 14 retired by the Hawks on April 23, 2004.

Jameer Nelson and the Orlando Magic reached an agreement Tuesday night on a contract extension that will keep the point guard with the team for at least five more seasons, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

Nelson had until midnight Wednesday to get an extension signed or he would have become a restricted free agent next summer. Fearing that he might have had to play this season without a contract extension, Nelson revealed recently that he had taken out an insurance policy to cover him in case of a career-threatening injury.

The exact specifics of the deal were unknown, but the Magic had been offering Nelson a five-year, $30 million deal. Nelson, 25, had hoped to get a contract similar to the $42 million pact that point guard Devin Harris signed with the Dallas Mavericks.

It is believed that the two sides met somewhere in the middle.

``I?m a starting point guard. I need starting point guard money,?? Nelson said on Monday, a day before the deal was finalized.

The mistakes have been few for Orlando's Keith Bogans since a dubious start to the preseason. The expected battle for the starting shooting-guard slot has mostly fizzled because of injuries to J.J. Redick (hand), Trevor Ariza (foot) and Keyon Dooling (groin). But even if those players had been healthy, it would be hard to imagine them playing much better this preseason than Bogans.

The 6-foot-5 guard has done everything Stan Van Gundy has asked of him, whether it's guarding the likes of LeBron James, Joe Johnson and Jason Richardson or knocking down open shots. Bogans shot a stellar 54.3% from the floor this preseason while also making a staggering 13 of 22 tries (59.1 percent) from three-point range.

So Bogans has overcome the early barbs from Van Gundy, and these days there's nothing but praise for arguably the Magic's grittiest player.

"He's our best perimeter defender; there's not much question about that," Van Gundy said. "He's a very good rebounder on a team that needs rebounding. And he's shot the ball unbelievably. He's done everything we could have hoped for. He's gotten himself in great shape, and he's playing well."

The Orlando Magic have waived guard Kevin Kruger, General Manager Otis Smith announced tonight following the Magic?s preseason game vs. San Antonio.  Kruger appeared in three preseason outings with Orlando, averaging 3.0 ppg. and 2.0 rpg. in 13.0 minpg.

The Magic?s roster now stands at 15.

Agent Mark Bartelstein said Friday that free-agent power forward P.J. Brown has no immediate plans to resume his career. Brown had attracted Heat interest after remaining unsigned at the start of training camp.

"He is not interested right now in playing," Bartelstein said. "He's focusing on spending time with his family. I've told people, 'Don't wait on him.' That doesn't mean he doesn't reserve the right to change his mind in January or February."

Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith said he expects talks between him and point guard Jameer Nelson's agent to heat up as the sides approach an Oct. 31 deadline to get a contract extension worked out.

Smith and Steve Mountain, Nelson's Philadelphia-based representative, held preliminary talks this past summer, but were unable to reach much common ground. Nelson's side would prefer a contract similar to the five-year, $42 million contract that Devin Harris got this summer from the Dallas Mavericks.

Smith said there's no reason for him to meet such a demand because few teams will have that much salary cap space next summer. If Nelson doesn't reach a deal with the Magic before Oct. 31, he will become a restricted free agent next summer.

"I'll just say the closer we get to the 31st the closer we'll probably get in talks," Smith said. "Right now they're not moving off their number, and I'm not moving off my number. And even if we get to the 31st I don't see us moving off our number."

The NBA took another step toward expanding its presence in China on Wednesday, with the Magic defeating the Cavaliers 90-86 in an exhibition game behind Dwight Howard's 31 points and 14 rebounds.

The game, featuring LeBron James and attended by NBA commissioner David Stern, was played at Qizhong Arena on the outskirts of Shanghai. The teams play again Saturday in the former Portuguese territory of Macau. On Thursday in Macau, the Magic face a Chinese all-star team, part of the NBA's "China Games."

The Orlando Magic are scheduled to play the Chinese national team in Macau, China, on Thursday, and Rockets' center Yao Ming said that part of this season's China Games should not be played.

Although he applauded the NBA portion of the China Games, with the Magic playing the Cleveland Cavaliers in Shanghai Wednesday and in Macau on Saturday, Yao said the players on the China national team should be with their China Basketball Association teams, preparing for the start of their season.

"To be honest, I think they should not play that game," Yao said Tuesday. "It's only one week before their season starts. And after five months of training camp, after 35 games on the road, they should not play any game besides the season. They are too tired. That's what I think, but they are going to play. Good luck."

The Orlando Magic have released guard Torrell Martin, General Manager Otis Smith announced this afternoon.  

Martin appeared in two preseason games with Orlando, averaging 2.0 ppg. and 1.0 rpg. in 3.5 minpg.  The Magic?s roster now stands at 16 players.

Rashard Lewis, who signed a six-year, $118 million deal with Orlando over the summer, left the Magic's 123-99 exhibition win over the Charlotte Bobcats with a sprained ankle after playing only eight minutes on Wednesday.

Lewis is listed as day-to-day, and the team said he will be evaluated Thursday. The Orlando Sentinel reported on Wednesday night that X-rays were negative.