Report: Magic To Sign Wilkins
Michael Jordan might be gone, but Dominique Wilkins is on his way back to the NBA.
The Orlando Sentinel reported Thursday that Wilkins, a nine-time All-Star forward, will sign with the Orlando Magic by the end of the week.
The 39-year-old Wilkins has not played in the NBA since the 1996-97 season, when he averaged 18.2 points per game for the San Antonio Spurs. Wilkins played part of last season in Italy.
In 14 NBA seasons, Wilkins scored 26,534 points -- eighth-most in league history -- and averaged 25.3 points per game. He was a first-team All-NBA selection in 1986, when he averaged 30.3 points and led the league in scoring. Except for the two years in which Jordan played baseball in 1994 and 1995, Wilkins was the last player other than Jordan to lead the league in scoring.
The Magic would use their $1 million exception to sign Wilkins, the older brother of Magic guard Gerald Wilkins.
The reported signing of Wilkins would virtually eliminate Orlando from landing premier rebounder Dennis Rodman, a favorite of Magic coach Chuck Daly.
Magic general manager John Gabriel would not confirm the signing of Wilkins, but admitted the pursuit of Rodman is over.
"It is about dead," Gabriel told the Sentinel. "We've got to move on."Rodman last month had said he wanted to play with either the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat or the Magic, but has made it difficult for teams to reach him directly.
Gabriel watched Wilkins play in a December exhibition game in Atlantic City during the lockout. Although he no longer possesses astounding acrobatic ability, Wilkins is still athletic enough to provide scoring punch off the bench.
Wilkins likely will be used as a backup small forward behind Bo Outlaw while the Magic groom Matt Harpring, one of their three first-round picks, at the position.
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