Now that it is clear that Kevin Garnett will not be in Arizona, the Phoenix Suns are shifting their attention to trying to lure Grant Hill to the desert, the Arizona Republic is reporting.

The Suns will try to sell Hill on the lovely weather, team chemistry, relaxed practices and friendly atmosphere, but will have only a veteran’s minimum contract to put on the table ($1.2 million, $770,610 which would count against the cap). Other teams can offer a lot more money (Toronto, Orlando) while others can offer more than the Suns and offer a similar or better chance at success (Detroit, San Antonio).

Hill has let Phoenix know for years he was interested in playing here. Sources confirm he was in the Valley last weekend, although both sides swear there was no contact between player and team. When asked if he felt the Suns or the Spurs were a better fit, Hill told ESPN radio he’d choose the Suns.

The Orlando Magic have tendered qualifying offers to Darko Milicic, Travis Diener, and Mario Kasun.

A qualifying offer makes a player a restricted free agent and gives the Magic the right of first refusal on resigning the player.

Milicic (7-0, 250) averaged 8.0 ppg., 5.5 rpg., 1.75 blkpg. and 1.1 apg. in 80 games this past season.

Diener (6-1, 172) saw action in 26 games this past season for the Magic, averaging 3.8 ppg. and 1.3 apg. in 11.1 minpg.

Kasun was a restricted free agent last season and played overseas this past year. In order to retain the right of first refusal, Kasun had to be re-tendered.

The Orlando Magic obtained the draft rights to forward Milovan Rakovic (RACK-oh-vich) (60th overall) and cash considerations from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the draft rights to forward Reyshawn Terry (44th overall).

Rakovic (6?10?, 2/19/85) has played his entire professional career in Serbia.  Last season (2006-07), he played with KK Mega Ishrana, where he averaged 12.9 ppg. and 4.6 rpg. in 21.4 minpg. during A1 League play.  He also averaged 8.6 ppg. and 3.8 rpg. in 16.4 minpg. during SuperLeague action.  Rakovic started with Polet Keramike in the Serbian 1B League before moving on to KK Atlas in the A1 League for the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons.

Terry (6?8?, 232, 4/7/84) played four seasons at the University of North Carolina, averaging 7.3 ppg. and 3.5 rpg. in 126 career games.

The Orlando Magic have traded a second round pick (54th overall) in the 2007 NBA Draft to the Houston Rockets in exchange for cash considerations, General Manager Otis Smith announced this afternoon.

Orlando owns pick #44 during tonight?s draft.

The Orlando Magic are expected to contact Seattle SuperSonics small forward Rashard Lewis and make a contract offer to power forward Darko Milicic on Sunday when the NBA free-agent market officially opens for business.

While the Magic don't believe New Jersey Nets guard Vince Carter or Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups will leave their respective teams as free agents, they also will aggressively gauge their interest as well. Charlotte Bobcats guard Gerald Wallace also could be on the short list.

But according to those close to the situation, the 6-foot-10 Lewis is the Magic's prime target.

In 2004, Phoenix traded the No. 7 pick to Chicago for the pick that became Jackson Vroman, a future first-round pick that became the one that went to New York (Nate Robinson) and $3 million to replace a check cut to Charlotte to take Jahidi White.

The Suns had just balked at giving Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson and the No. 7 pick to Orlando for Tracy McGrady and wanted to clear space for a free-agency push when Kobe Bryant and Nash were on the market.

The Suns said the money enabled them to sign Quentin Richardson and Steve Nash but Phoenix had assumed the player it wanted, Andre Iguodala, would not be available at No. 7. Phoenix drafted Luol Deng on behalf of Chicago but Iguodala was still on the board.

Magic General Manager Otis Smith said Tuesday that he never was contacted by the agent for disgruntled Lakers star Kobe Bryant, despite a newspaper report to the contrary. Smith said he has had no discussions with the Lakers involving Bryant.

Orlando Magic players Keyon Dooling and Pat Garrity have exercised the player option in their contracts, opting to return to the team next season instead of becoming a free agent.

Garrity is the longest tenured player on the Magic roster, having spent the past eight seasons in Orlando.

Earlier this week, Magic guard Keyon Dooling picked up the option on his original three-year contract, bypassing the chance to become a free agent next month. Dooling will be making an estimated $3.5 million.

As much as anyone, Dooling was excited about the hiring of Van Gundy, who coached him during the one season (2004-05) he played in Miami.

"I learned more from one year with Stan than I did in my first four years in the league,"' said Dooling, who started his career with the Los Angeles Clippers. "He'll be a great asset to the team. [His hiring] only made me more excited about coming back."

Dooling averaged 7.9 points and 1.9 assists for the Magic last season, his second in Orlando since coming from Miami.

This won't be the most popular thing to do -- it will be another big disappointment -- but the best thing the Orlando Magic could do with their money this summer is to sit on it.

Yes, there will be some salary-cap room for a high-dollar free agent, but not without a sign-and-trade deal that likely will cost them just-budding Darko Milicic.

The Magic plan to pursue 27-year-old forward Rashard Lewis of Seattle, but so will 20 other teams looking to improve in a very shallow free-agent class, all willing to take drastic steps to make it happen. Lewis would help the Magic significantly next season.

Yet Gilbert Arenas could help them even more -- if they can be patient.