The (AP) reports: The Orlando Magic signed guard Dee Brown to a 10-day contract, General Manager John Gabriel announced Tuesday. Brown will be in uniform for Wednesday's game against Phoenix at the TD Waterhouse Centre.

Brown retired from the NBA last August and has served in the Magic's front office as special assistant to Magic operations. He played in only seven regular season games during the 2000-01 season for Orlando, averaging 6.9 points, 1.7 asissts and 1.6 rebounds a game.

Because Brown was not waived by another NBA team this season, he also would be eligible for the playoff roster. Anyone waived after March 1 would be ineligible.

"If any of the other 28 teams had called, I would have said, 'Thanks, but goodbye,' " Brown said. "I had no plans to do something like this, but I already work here, and I could still handle a 20-game season. I could help them."

An 11-year NBA veteran, Brown played in 601 regular season games for Boston, Toronto and Orlando, averaging 11.2 ppg., 3.7 apg., 2.6 rpg. and 1.33 steals a game. Brown was originally drafted by Boston in the first round (19th overall) of the 1990 NBA Draft.