According to league sources, the Orlando Magic are trying to move up from No. 11 in the June 28 NBA draft. The club has talked to two teams in hopes of improving their chances of landing either Connecticut small forward Rudy Gay or Duke forward/center Shelden Williams.

NBA sources tell the Sentinel that the Magic have had discussions with the Boston Celtics and the Houston Rockets about swapping picks or having those teams pick for them.

The Celtics select at No. 7 and the Rockets No. 8.

Otis Smith, GM of the Magic, said the club has remained in contact with Vazquez. Smith said he believes Vazquez will play for the Magic in 2007-08.

"I think the possibility is a lot greater after next season, but we still consider him an asset for us," Smith said. "Coming over here is something him and his fianc?e/wife have to get comfortable with. Hopefully in another year he'll be in a better position to get his arms around who he is as a person and a player.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Magic are expecting to lose assistant coach Randy Wittman, who will return to the Minnesota Timberwolves as an assistant, according to NBA sources.

The Magic recently gave Wittman permission to speak with the Timberwolves, said Magic Coach Brian Hill.

Wittman, 46, was hired by the Magic last season after spending the four previous seasons as an assistant with the Timberwolves.

Otis Smith told the Orlando Sentinel that Assistant General Manager Dave Twardzik met with Fran Vazquez recently in Spain.

Smith doesn't expect him to play for the Magic next season, but he is optimistic Vazquez will join Orlando "the following season [2007-08], for sure."

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Magic General Manager Otis Smith said Grant Hill began working with abdominal specialist Alex McKechnie on Monday in Vancouver, McKechnie's base of operation.

Hill is taking a non-surgical approach to rehabbing a sports hernia injury that limited him to 21 games last season.

"Grant probably will be with Alex about a week or so in Vancouver," Smith said. "It will be a few months before he'll be able to do anything on the court."

Grant Hill of the Orlando Magic is the 2006 recipient of the Magic Johnson Award, presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association.

The award honors an NBA player who combines excellence on the court with outstanding cooperation with the media and, by extension, the fans.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Magic guard DeShawn Stevenson has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

Magic General Manager Otis Smith said Stevenson had surgery last Thursday and will be sidelined from basketball activity for a month. "It was a cleanout," Smith said. "He'll be fine."

Stevenson's three-year contract expires after next season, but he has until July 1 to use his player's option and become a free agent this year.

Smith said he wants Stevenson to return.

Magic President Bob Vander Weide said that instead of going through another surgery for a sports hernia injury, he expects Grant Hill to retire.

Hill is trying to rehab it this summer with abdominal specialist Alex McKechnie.

Orlando Magic President Bob Vander Weide announced today that Otis Smith has been promoted to the position of General Manager.  Dave Twardzik will maintain his role as Assistant General Manager.

?In a short amount of time, Otis has done a tremendous job in regards to player acquisitions, while at the same time, setting us up for the future,? said Vander Weide. ?He brings a wide range of experience, great energy, dedication, leadership and vision to our basketball operations.?

Smith, who was promoted to Assistant General Manager on June 27, 2005, will be responsible for overseeing basketball operations, including player acquisitions via the draft, free agency and trades, player development, scouting and salary cap management.  During the last eight months, he?s played a key role in obtaining Darko Milicic and Carlos Arroyo from Detroit (Feb. 15), while also gaining future significant salary cap flexibility by obtaining the expiring contract of Anfernee Hardaway from New York, along with Trevor Ariza for Steve Francis a week later (Feb. 22). He also extended the contracts of Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson and Tony Battie. Orlando won 16 of its last 22 games of the season, including 12 of its last 13 at home.

Smith was named Orlando?s director of player development on September 15, 2003.

The Sentinel reported about two weeks ago that Otis Smith would be named to the Magic's GM post and it will finally become official on Wednesday morning when Magic President Bob Vander Weide will make the announcement.

He replaced John Weisbrod last June when he was named co-GM along with Dave Twardzik.