Jerry Brewer of the Orlando Sentinel reports: Already lacking in their frontcourt, the Orlando Magic suffered a big loss Monday when doctors determined that Steven Hunter tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Hunter injured the knee while playing in a big-man camp in Bradenton last week. A date for surgery has not been set. The best prognosis for his recovery is four to six months. Assuming he heals that quickly and has no problems, Hunter likely will miss the first half of the season. But it's possible that he could miss the entire year.

The Magic, who have traded Don Reid and bought out Patrick Ewing's contract this summer, already were looking for frontcourt help. Losing Hunter means they'll have to sign an extra big body.

"We were already looking to add that," General Manager John Gabriel said. "It just punctuates what we have to do."

If they are not interested in acquiring a player through trade, the Magic's options on the open market are limited. They want free agent Brian Skinner, but there will be competition from Philadelphia for his services.

The Magic have some interest in Shawn Kemp, who is now free after agreeing to a buyout settlement from Portland. But they also have the same concerns most teams have about Kemp: motivation, weight problems and past drug abuse.

Asked about Kemp, Gabriel would only say, "We're exploring all options."

If the Magic are to trade for a post player, they likely would look to Golden State, who likely would be willing to part with Adonal Foyle or Danny Fortson.

RealGM Note: If Orlando wants to stay under $50 million in total salaries like they had originally planned to avoid possibily paying the luxury tax, then they can only sign one more minimum salary player.