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Stan Van Gundy has made it through his first week as head coach - hooray Stan! Now the Orlando Magic can move towards their next matter of business; personnel.

It’s foolish to think the Magic will invest a great amount of time into the top 40 players in the upcoming draft. It’s a waste of time because the Magic don’t have a first round pick (which is old news). Giving the Miami Heat the 39th pick also confirms the Magic understand that when the time comes to make their two second round selections they will have to go with the best players available.

Yes, it sounds like a dull night in the Magic draft headquarters. It also points to another potential Magic front office fumble - not so fast. The Magic will be looking towards free agency to get the players they need which means their picks will dictate the direction the team will move (tell you something you don’t know).

The needs of the Magic are well documented. As presently constructed the Magic are in desperate need of a prime time perimeter scorer. This would suggest a few players that Magic will focus on.

Vince Carter- Vince is clearly the most notable on the Magic’s list and would be a great addition to Orlando. Not only does he bring the Magic a legitimate All-Star talent, he would also attract the fans. If the Magic add Carter they should easily be able to contend for the conference title. Carter has played with two of the league's best players (Jason Kidd, Tracy McGrady) but has never played with an inside presence like Dwight Howard. The tandem would be exciting and effective.

Rashard Lewis - We all know what 23 additional points a game will do for the Magic. We all know the talent that Rashard Lewis has should put the Magic in the second round of the playoffs. However Lewis plays small forward which means adding him may punch Grant Hill’s ticket out of Orlando (if Hill decides to return). Lewis’ size and ability gives the Magic scoring and versatility, but is he worth the cash he will ask for?

Mickael Pietrus - Pietrus would be a great addition to the Magic. His numbers went south towards the end of the season but those numbers would greatly increase in Orlando. Pietrus can score. He can shoot the jumper and attack the basket. He would also come to Orlando at a much lower price than a Vince Carter or Rashard Lewis, putting them in a position to be players in the free agency market of 2008.

Chauncey Billups - We don’t need to spend much time talking about “Mr. Big Shot.” Chauncey Billups is a winner. He has been the leader of the Detroit Pistons as they have become the class of the Eastern Confrence. His resume speaks for itself. However Billups is getting older (31 years old at the start of the 07-08 season) and the Magic’s centerpiece is 21. It may not be wise to invest time into him. Maybe a three-year deal should be considered.

Mikki Moore - Moore would be a major upgrade at the power forward spot. He would help form a twin tower front court. His rebounding and scoring would take some of the pressure off of Howard, while creating a front line that would be very hard to score on.

Those players can help. However the Magic have to be careful. Currently the Magic bench includes J.J. Redick, Trevor Ariza, Carlos Arroyo, and Keyon Dooling. If the team chooses to focus on the perimeter the acquisitions can cause a log jam, unless a trade that includes one of these players is being planned.

It’s not known at this point if Keyon Dooling will use his player option or test the free agent market. The former Magic coach did a terrible job of using his bench last season. Dooling (in my opinion)is at the top of the list of players that were poorly used. Reuniting with Stan Van Gundy may give Keyon a chance to show what he can do when he is used correctly.

Things will continue to be interesting in Orlando.

By Jarrod N. Rudolph
for HOOPSWORLD.com