In an effort to bolster their PG corps, Orlando Magic will sign former Rockets' PG Andre Barrett. Released by Houston earlier this season after playing 27 games for them, Barrett averaged 2.1ppg and 1.6apg in just over 11mpg.

After learning they'd lose PG Jameer Nelson due to a rib cage injury, Magic GM John Weisbrod considered filing a special exemption with the league that would allow them for a 16th man on the roster, but decided against it when he learned that if granted the exception, Nelson would be forced to miss a minimum of two weeks. The belief is that he'll return sooner.

To make room for Barrett, Orlando released former University of Central Florida standout Mark Jones, who had been playing on a 10-day contract. Jones scored a total of 8 points in 31 minutes of play.

Magic rookie guard Jameer Nelson underwent an MRI today which confirmed a small tear of the intercostal muscle (rib cage muscle). He will be out four to seven days, depending on how he responds to treatment. Nelson left last night?s game vs. Atlanta with 3:11 left in the first quarter after playing just three minutes.

Orlando returns to action Wednesday night vs. Toronto, before hosting Washington Friday night and then traveling to New Jersey Saturday night (Apr. 2).

Orlando Magic guard Steve Francis will return to the lineup tonight for an important game versus the Phoenix Suns.  A win tonight could bring the Magic out of their slump and help them get back in the playoff race.  Francis was suspended by the league for 3-days after kicking a photographer in Seattle.

"I'm an emotional player," he said Friday. "I wear my emotions on my sleeve. For the most part, it's helped me out.

"Ninety-five percent of the time, it's helped me more than it's hurt me. So I'll take 95-to-5 with anything."

He paused. Francis knows that what makes him a fierce competitor also works against him, turning his strength into his weakness. "Sometimes, it gets you in trouble," he said.

For the second time in four days, the Charlotte Bobcats defeated the Orlando Magic, this time 108-94 on the road.

Emeka Okafor had 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Bobcats.

The Magic have lost nine of their last 10 and are now a game and a half out of the playoffs.

``We need some leadership both from the coaching staff and our veterans to say 'Hey, listen, we still have a lot of games left,' `` said Magic coach Chris Jent, 1-3 since taking over for Johnny Davis. ``People are writing us off, but stranger things have happened. We have to not feel sorry for ourselves but go out there and play a game we love.''

``This game shows we're learning, we're evolving,'' Okafor said. ``We've been in situations like this before and learned from our mistakes. We never panicked, we never rushed, we stayed poised the whole way.''

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent guard Mark Jones to a 10-day contract, General Manager John Weisbrod announced today.  Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed.  He will be in uniform for Orlando?s game vs. Charlotte tomorrow night (7 p.m. ET).

Jones (6?6?, 215, 5/25/75) played in 41 games with the Great Lakes Storm of the CBA, averaging 20.8 ppg., 5.4 rpg. and 2.6 apg.  He finished fourth in the CBA in scoring and was named to the All-CBA Second Team.  Jones has also played professionally in Venezuela, France and the Philippines.

Jones spent his senior season (1997-98) at the University of Central Florida, where he averaged 20.8 ppg. (29th in nation) and 7.3 rpg.  He led the Golden Knights and the Trans America Athletic Conference in scoring, and was named the TAAC Co-Player of the Year.  Jones set a UCF single-game record by scoring 42 points vs. St. Thomas.

Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu broke his wrist in in Monday's loss to the Charlotte Bobcats and is expected to miss the rest of the season.

The injury occured with 3:07 left in the 4th quarter and the Magic down by 5. Turkoglu was running a fast break when Bernard Robinson fouled him. Turkoglu tried to break his fall with his left hand, and was left lying on the floor for several minutes before being helped up.

He returned to make 1 of 2 free throws and assisted on a Dwight Howard basket before being taken out at the next dead ball.

The time frame for recovery is six to eight weeks, according to Magic spokesman Joel Glass, which would extend beyond the regular season.

Turkoglu was averaging 14 points and 3.5 rebounds after 67 games.

After receiving the good news that Steve Francis would only be suspended for three games, the Magic managed to blow a 16-point lead against the expansion Bobcats on Monday night.

Brevin Knight's jumper with 12.4 seconds to play gave the Bobcats a 102-97 victory, breaking their 10-game losing streak.

``It's frustrating, but we're going to get to the playoffs,'' Dwight Howard vowed. ``We've got 15 more games left. We can't let any more slip away like this.''

``They kept playing. They outplayed us,'' new coach Chris Jent said. ``It takes a lot of commitment to play 48 minutes. We gave a great effort, but we played a half of basketball and that's not enough.''

Orlando's Steve Francis has been suspended for three games without pay for kicking a photographer, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Senior Vice President, Basketball Operations.  The incident occurred with 8:57 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Magic's 98-90 loss to Seattle at Key Arena.

Francis, who served the first game of his suspension on Saturday at Portland, will miss Orlando's next two games:  tonight at Charlotte and onThursday at home vs. the Bobcats.

It took a bit of class from Grant Hill for the Magic to end their seven-game losing streak.  Just 24 hours after Steve Francis kicked a photographer, Hill scored 23 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in a 97-92 win at Portland.

``We are definitely a playoff team,'' said DeShawn Stevenson, who had 16 points. ``Everybody is believing that.''

``This was very special,'' Jent said. ``The team gave me the game ball and it was even more special because Grant Hill gave it to me.''

Jameer Nelson started in place of Francis who has been suspended indefinitely by the NBA.

Orlando?s Steve Francis has been suspended indefinitely without pay for kicking a photographer during last night?s game at Seattle, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Senior Vice President, Basketball Operations.  The length of the suspension will be determined following further investigation.  Francis will miss Saturday's game against Portland.

Francis denied it after the game, but photographer Jeff Reinking said that he was kicked by Francis, who had fallen on top of Reinking on the baseline beneath the Magic's basket with 8:49 left in the game. Reinking spoke with an NBA security official, Robert Sale, who was making a report of the incident.

"I fell back, couldn't get away from him," Reinking was heard telling the league official. "Then he kicked me."

"He threw my legs down, man," Francis said. "That was it."

Francis was then asked if he kicked the photographer.

"No," Francis said. "Uh-uh. I don't know what happened."

The incident was witnessed by many Seattle fans and was subsequently booed each time he touched the ball.