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The Orlando Magic signed free agent forward Lee Nailon to a 10-day contract Monday and waived center Mengke Bateer.
Nailon played in 27 games this season for the Atlanta Hawks, averaging 5.3 points and 2.3 rebounds. He was waived Dec. 29.
Bateer had not played since joining the Magic on Friday. He was traded from Toronto to Orlando for forward Robert Archibald.
The Raptors also sent Orlando the rights to 2003 second-round draft choice Remon Van de Hare and the option to swap second-round draft positions at the 2005 draft.
Bateer averaged
1.1 points and 1.1 rebounds in seven games with Toronto.
Forwards Jermaine O'Neal of the Indiana Pacers and Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday were named the NBA Players of the Month for December.
O'Neal averaged 21.2 points and 10.3 rebounds during the month, posting 11 double-doubles, while Garnett averaged 26.4 points, 13.2 rebounds and 2.54 blocks per game to lead the Timberwolves to an 11-2 record - the best December in franchise history.
Among his highlights, O'Neal had 32 points, 14 rebounds and a franchise-high eight blocks in an 89-82 victory over the Phoenix Suns on December 1. He scored 30 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out five assists in a 101-94 win over Seattle on December 5, and recorded 24 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high six assists in a 95-85 triumph over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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Garnett, who leads the NBA in rebounds per game (13.7) and total rebounds (448),
had 33 points, a career-high 25 rebounds, six assists and three blocks in a
112-109 overtime victory over the Sacramento Kings on December 5. He scored
a season-high 35 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and handed out 10 assists for his
first triple-double of the season in a 114-109 win over the Dallas Mavericks
on December 18.
Others considered for the awards included Boston's Paul Pierce, Cleveland rookie LeBron James, Miami's Lamar Odom, Minnesota's Sam Cassell, New Jersey's Jason Kidd, Portland's Zach Randolph and San Antonio's Tim Duncan.