[1] During the off-season, the Magic signed free agent All-Star center Patrick Ewing to their roster,[2][3][4][5][6] and re-signed former Magic forward Horace Grant to further strengthen the team's depth.
[14][15][16][17] Despite Hill's injury, the Magic posted a six-game winning streak in March, and made it to the playoffs with a record of 44–38, third in the Atlantic Division.
[18] Tracy McGrady continued to emerge as a superstar, as he finished fourth in the NBA in scoring averaging 25.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, and was selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
[25] However, in the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Magic lost in four games to the Charlotte Hornets.
[26][27][28][29] Following the season, Ewing retired after seventeen seasons in the NBA, and would take a job as the assistant coach for the Washington Wizards,[30][31][32][33] while Hudson signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Timberwolves,[34][35] Monty Williams signed with the Philadelphia 76ers,[36][37] and Buechler and Dee Brown both retired.