Magic match Mavs offer to keep Gortat

ORLANDO, Florida – The Orlando Magic have retained Polish center Marcin Gortat, matching the $34 million, five-year deal offered by the Dallas Mavericks to the restricted free agent.

The Magic surprised – and disappointed – Gortat and the Mavericks on Monday, matching an offer sheet to keep him. Gortat’s agent, Guy Zucker, said the center “was definitely very disappointed today.”

He said Gortat was back in his native Poland, where he’d already been telling everyone he was headed to the Mavericks.

Gortat, 25, was hoping to play alongside Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki and, most of all, compete with Erick Dampier for the starting job. Dampier is going into the final year of his contract.

In Orlando, Gortat will likely see spotty playing time behind Howard.

“It was definitely about the opportunity to find out how good he can really be,” Zucker said. (AP)