ORLANDO, Fla. — The Boston Celtics are getting old. The Cleveland Cavaliers are getting Shaq (maybe). And the Miami Heat is trying to get Chris Bosh from Toronto.
So where does that leave the Orlando Magic, who will step on the court in 3 1/2 months as the defending Eastern Conference champions?
The Magic was dumped in five games by the more talented and certainly more experienced Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, a series in which Orlando cracked down the stretch of two overtime losses before offering little resistance in Sunday's 99-86 finale.
The Magic is by no means guaranteed to enter the 2009-10 season as the favorite to return to the finals.
Like most teams in the East, the Magic has off-season issues to address. The priorities are to determine the futures of point guard Rafer Alston and forward Hedo Turkoglu.
Alston, 32, is under contract for next season, so the Magic must decide whether to trade him or risk him being unhappy as a back-up to All-Star Jameer Nelson. Alston, a veteran who was obtained during the season after Nelson was hurt, has shown the potential to be a malcontent when his minutes are reduced.
Turkoglu, 30, can opt out of a deal that will pay him $7.35 million next year, a likely move to seek a long-term contract.
Still, the team's core — center Dwight Howard, forward Rashard Lewis and Nelson — average just more than 26 years of age.
Howard is the foundation, a genuine superstar with character and an unlimited upside.
Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the Dwight Howard of the league in early 1970s, the young dominant center with fingers waiting to be adorned with rings.
"He's an incredibly gifted athlete," Abdul-Jabbar said. "But he could be more skilled offensively. He could have a couple of moves and shots that he'd get off under duress. He needs to learn how to deal with the double teams. Right now that kind of confounds him."
Howard, 23, was one of the few Magic players to remain on the court Sunday as the Lakers celebrated. He stood with Nelson and the two then talked about the future.
"What I just told Jameer is just look at it, just see how they're celebrating and it should motivate us to want to get in the gym, want to get better. ...
"Next year we've got to be even more hungrier to want to be champions. It hurts a lot, but you can learn a lot from losing."
Some will argue, however, that the only reason the Magic was in the finals was because Boston, a team that took the Magic to seven games before losing at home, was without Kevin Garnett for the playoffs.
The Celtics should have a healthy Garnett back and the same core that won the 2008 title. But will age be their undoing?
The Cavaliers are hoping to add Shaquille O'Neal to complement LeBron James, giving them a dynamic duo similar to the Dwyane Wade-Shaq combination that won the championship in 2006.
And the Heat could take a huge step forward if it trades for Raptors All-Star forward Bosh.
The Magic also will have to contend with Chicago and Atlanta, two teams that appear to be on the upswing.
"They're going to have a bull's-eye on their back," Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said about the Magic. "This is a good experience for them. They have a very tough team, extremely well coached and I have no doubt they'll be contending again."
Tom D'Angelo writes for The Palm Beach Post. E-mail: tom(underscore)dangelo(at)pbpost.com.