Oakley wants a change

Chicago power forward Charles Oakley sat in the Orlando locker room after the game, explaining his unhappiness with the Bulls. Oakley, a 16-year NBA veteran, has been asking the Bulls to waive him so he could sign with a playoff-bound team like the Magic.

He is close friends with Horace Grant, and he was once a teammate with both Coach Doc Rivers and center Patrick Ewing.

Oakley, who has been feuding with Chicago management, remained in street clothes after being told he would not be playing much the rest of the season. The Magic have been hoping that Oakley is waived so they could sign him for the veteran's minimum. He would have to be signed before March 1 to be part of a playoff roster. It was virtually impossible to trade for him before the deadline because of his $7 million salary.

?I don't know what's going to happen,'' Oakley said. ?Sure, this would be a nice team [the Magic] to play for, but who knows? I don't know what's going on.''

Glad to be back

Tracy McGrady wasn't the only one who returned to action Tuesday after missing Sunday's loss in Cleveland because of an injury. Pat Garrity returned to his starting spot at power forward, playing with a bruised right thigh that was tightly wrapped.

"I guess that means they won't be throwing me any lob passes tonight," Garrity joked before the game. "They will probably just utilize me as a spot-up shooter."

Grant feeling his age

Horace Grant chuckled before the game about his matchup at center, shaking his head in amazement. Grant, who won three NBA titles in Chicago, is 37. Backup center Patrick Ewing is 39. Bulls starting center Eddy Curry is 19, as is teammate Tyson Chandler.

"It's really kind of unbelieveable, when you think about it," he said. "I have a daughter who is 19. She's at the University of North Carolina. To be playing against someone the same age is pretty incredible. It really makes me feel old."

Buechler has 3 rings, too

It isn't just Horace Grant who has great memories of playing here. Magic reserve Jud Buechler played here, too, from 1994 to 1998, sharing in the second half of the Michael Jordan era.

"As soon as the bus pulls into the parking lot, it opens the floodgate to a lot of good memories for me," Buechler said. "I had two beautiful daughters here, and won three [championship] rings. I don't have anything but good memories."