ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic have identified their starting shooting guard for next season and might be parting with J.J. Redick or Keith Bogans to acquire a point guard.

The Magic expect to sign free agent Mickael Pietrus to a four-year contract worth about $25 million, the Sentinel has learned.

Magic General Manager Otis Smith said yesterday that the signing of Pietrus will exhaust most of the team's midlevel exception. The exception can pay a player an average of about $6 million per season.

Teams can begin signing free agents today.

The Magic expect to hold a news conference introducing Pietrus tomorrow.

Pietrus, 6-6, 198 pounds, is described as a strong defender, solid rebounder and accurate 3-point shooter. A native of the French Caribbean island of Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, he averaged 8.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in five seasons with the Golden State Warriors. But he was not a frequent starter with the Warriors — 97 starts in 310 games—and was benched by Coach Don Nelson at one point.

The expected signing of Pietrus, 26, ends Orlando's long-shot pursuit of Corey Maggette, perhaps the top available free-agent shooting guard.

Pietrus will replace Maurice Evans, who started 47 games for the Magic since arriving in a November trade from the Los Angeles Lakers. Evans is a free agent and looking for a home.

Orlando will have four shooting guards when Pietrus signs as he joins Redick, Bogans and rookie Courtney Lee. Lee, the Magic's first-round draft pick, had 27 points in Tuesday's summer-league game against Oklahoma City.

The club has only one point guard — starter Jameer Nelson — and its options are suddenly limited financially. They want Keyon Dooling to return and can sign him independently, but Magic President Bob Vander Weide said the team will not go over the punitive luxury tax to do so. They also must deal with the possibility of Hedo Turkoglu opting out after next season.

Dooling, who played with the Magic for the last three seasons as a point guard and shooting guard, said Tuesday afternoon that he had yet to receive an offer sheet from Orlando. He said at least seven teams have showed interest in him.

"It looks like they have filled their position at the 2. Pietrus will help us," Dooling said. "I don't know what's going to happen. Things are all over the place."

The Magic can pick up a free-agent point guard with the veteran's minimum or trade Bogans or Redick for a veteran backup. Redick had requested a trade early last season.

Vander Weide and Coach Stan Van Gundy were thrilled with the chance to land the athletic Pietrus. Van Gundy said the Magic needed a defensive presence at the position and "he's the kind of guy who can give us that."