Patrick Ewing is making good on his belief that he’s got more life left in his withering, knee-padded wheels.
The Post has learned Ewing will be joined by former foe Horace Grant as the newest members of the Magic in a deal that may be agreed on as early as today. The deal would lock up the pair for two years each.
The Big Fella and Grant, free agents who banged under the boards during the Knicks-Bulls wars of the 1990s and again out West as Ewing toiled for the Supersonics and Grant with the Lakers, apparently will split a $4.5 million exception.
The move comes on the heels of Antonio Davis’ $60 million deal agreed on in principle yesterday with the Raptors. It was thought that Davis, who owns a home in Orlando, might have been headed to Disneyworld, but Orlando doesn’t have the kind of cash the Raptors are throwing around.
With Vince Carter’s future in Toronto still up in the air, the Raptors are trying to show him that they’re willing to show their better players the money. Toronto is also close to re-signing Alvin and Jerome Williams, which may entice Carter to stay in Canada.
With Davis out of their price range, the Magic went with Plan B and got a pair of vets off the discount rack.
Ewing, 38, and Grant, 36, will bring age and leadership to a team that boasts 21-year old Tracy McGrady as its top gun. McGrady averaged 26.8 points per game last year in his first season in Orlando.In addition to McGrady, the Magic also have Grant Hill coming off a season lost to surgery on his left ankle.
With Ewing in the middle, Grant and Bo Outlaw splitting time at power forward, Hill at the three and McGrady alongside Darrell Armstrong up top, the Magic are a scary team all of a sudden in the East.
Last year – his first away from the Knicks – Ewing averaged career lows in points (9.6) and rebounds (7.4) in Seattle.
With the World Champs, the goggle-faced Grant averaged similar numbers with 8.5 ppg and 7.1 rpg.