http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/magic/2007-06-08-hill-offers_N.htm


Hill will listen to other offers, perhaps Pistons'

By Chuck Johnson, USA TODAY

SAN ANTONIO — Grant Hill has decided he's going to play somewhere next season and there's a possibility the Detroit Pistons, his original team with whom he had his best years, might be the destination.

Hill, who's a free agent after spending six mostly injury-plagued seasons with the Orlando Magic, was vacationing in the Caribbean during much of the Eastern Conference finals when the Pistons were upset by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"I only got the one game, Game 5 and the last quarter when LeBron (James) went off in the last quarter and two overtimes," Hill says. "I kind of read about what happened but I didn't see it, except for that one game. That one game looked bad just because LeBron went crazy (scoring 48 points, including 25 in a row and 28 of the Cavs' last 29)

"But (Pistons president of basketball operations) Joe Dumars is a smart guy. He's had a lot of success and he's motivated to continue to win, so he'll figure something out."

Hill, working the NBA Finals as an analyst for ABC, was a perennial All-Star in six seasons with the Pistons. The Magic were knocked out in the first round of this year's playoffs by his former team.

The trip to the playoffs was Hill's first since leaving Detroit in a sign-and-trade deal in 2000. His career was sidetracked by an ankle injury that required multiple surgeries.

With his ankle now stabilized, the 12-year veteran says he hasn't closed the door on a return to the Magic but is listening to all offers. Could a return to Detroit be in his future? "I'm keeping myself open," Hill says.

"I'm going to see what Orlando's doing but if people come knocking, I'm going to listen. I'm still trying to figure it all out."

Get him here, Joe!

Looking at GHill's stats, it's amazing that he's been nearly a 50% FG shooter the past four years. he could be a really effective scorer off the bench. of course, that pretty much means the end of the Delfino project.

Delfino might have some trade value......maybe in some deal to the Suns, since he's young, athletic and cheap.

i'd go to cleveland if i were him.

i'd go to cleveland if i were him.

Not me. Cleveland is a one-hit-wonder, just like Miami.

Grant Hill on a team like Utah would make them truly scary.

^ That is what I was thinking. Team lacks a 2 guard and a veteran.

That probably would be the best fit for him, but I'm still holding out hope that he comes here.

Not me. Cleveland is a one-hit-wonder, just like Miami.

one hit wonder? why? theyre going to be better next year. they swept us out of the playoffs. i think you have to admit theyre a pretty good team, probably the second best in the league.

no cap room, no draft picks?

Yeah, I'd say they're primed for an improvement...

Maybe Hill and Webber will share the MLE?

That's about the only way I'd want Webber back.

To be honest, Hill might be pretty valuable to the Pistons, possible even worthy of the whole MLE himself.

I wonder if Lindsey will help recruit him?

one hit wonder? why? theyre going to be better next year. they swept us out of the playoffs. i think you have to admit theyre a pretty good team, probably the second best in the league.

the cavs are the second best team in the NBA?

when did this happen?

i'd still take the Mavs, Utah, and the Suns over the Cavs.

For the record, I wouldn't mind Hill off of our bench at all. I just think we need to get rid of Delfino, then. After making Delfino a larger part of the team last season, we can't just shove him back to our 3rd SF and expect him to accept it.

Unless we can play Delfino and GHill somehow? Could Stuckey play back up PG, and then our bench could be: Stuckey, Delfino, GHill, Maxiell, and Dice?

that's pretty athletic and relatively young. of course, it's a matter of giving them enough PT to make a difference

no cap room, no draft picks?

Yeah, I'd say they're primed for an improvement...

honestly, what the fuck do you know? the very fact that YOU wrote this probably means the cavs win 82 games and a championship next year.

the cavs are the second best team in the NBA?

when did this happen?

i'd still take the Mavs, Utah, and the Suns over the Cavs.

the cavs are going to put up a much better fight than the jazz did against the spurs. i even think they might pull this one out.

the cavs also run wild on the no D suns.

the mavs might be better than the cavs, but theyve also lost 8 of their last 10 playoff games. the heat ran the mavs, and these cavs are better than those heat. some teams are built for the playoffs and some for the reg season. lebron blatantly coasted through the reg season, and got a ton of criticism. you dont hear too much criticism anymore. dude is wise beyond his years. being a very good defensive club + one superstar of james calibre is enough these days.

honestly, what the fuck do you know? the very fact that YOU wrote this probably means the cavs win 82 games and a championship next year.

and to answer you, they can improve a ton from within. boobie has broken out, and its not a freak. also, you can bet james adds something to his game this summer. everyone is waiting for him to add post moves. if he adds one or two of those, its over. dude becomes entirely unguardable. moreso.

honestly, what the fuck do you know? the very fact that YOU wrote this probably means the cavs win 82 games and a championship next year.


No, it proves you just managed to get enough of Ben Wallace's dick out of your mouth to make room for LeBron's...

For the record, I wouldn't mind Hill off of our bench at all. I just think we need to get rid of Delfino, then. After making Delfino a larger part of the team last season, we can't just shove him back to our 3rd SF and expect him to accept it.

Unless we can play Delfino and GHill somehow? Could Stuckey play back up PG, and then our bench could be: Stuckey, Delfino, GHill, Maxiell, and Dice?

that's pretty athletic and relatively young. of course, it's a matter of giving them enough PT to make a difference
If we're going this route, why take Stuckey? We could take a PG instead. Or maybe we could finally use Delfino a little at the point.

I'm pretty positive I was right when I said that Cleveland was a one-hit-wonder. They're much better than Miami? Pssh. Get out of here, man. They can't even hang with the Spurs. That Heat team would at least be putting up a fight.

And I think someone else (maybe K-Stat?) said it best: no draft picks, no cap room, and they'll improve? Big Z is 32 and getting older, Boobie is probably a lifetime backup combo guard, Gooden is Gooden, Marshall is one-dimensional, and Pavlovic doesn't have too much room for improvement. I just don't see how they're going to keep getting better.

Will Dumars re-hire someone who screwed him royally?

Flip's contract's up?

the cavs are going to put up a much better fight than the jazz did against the spurs. i even think they might pull this one out.

the cavs also run wild on the no D suns.

the mavs might be better than the cavs, but theyve also lost 8 of their last 10 playoff games. the heat ran the mavs, and these cavs are better than those heat. some teams are built for the playoffs and some for the reg season. lebron blatantly coasted through the reg season, and got a ton of criticism. you dont hear too much criticism anymore. dude is wise beyond his years. being a very good defensive club + one superstar of james calibre is enough these days.


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA!
























[smilie=jefffoster.:

Idiotic post of the year.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Hill didn't screw Dumars. Hill brought us back Chucky and Big Ben. Look what would have happened if we'd resigned him. A lifetime of a bad contract and a guy that couldn't have played.

Hill didn't screw Dumars. Hill brought us back Chucky and Big Ben. Look what would have happened if we'd resigned him. A lifetime of a bad contract and a guy that couldn't have played.
We would've likely gotten Ben and perhaps Chucky -- it wasn't an "either/or" situation. Ben was a FA that Dumars was intent on signing for the MLE, and I I doubt anyone else was gonna go -over- the MLE for him. The S+T situation enabled us to pay them both closer to what they turned out to be worth.

Yeah, Grant's injury and Ben+Chucky's success ultimately stuck it to the Tragic moreso than us, but that was karma and luck, not by design. "Gee, you tried to stab me in the back but you missed. Let's kiss and make up."

Will Dumars re-hire someone who screwed him royally?


How is it different than bringing in Webber?

I think Joe & Grant are still tight, and maybe coming back for a year or two is some sort of "apology" by Grant to Joe, the fans, Davidson, etc.

That theory would be viable if Grant didn't keep bashing the Pistons organization about his ankle injury anytime someone asks about it.

Webber was a different story. Sacto would've paid him more than we would have, and he took the money. Grant Hill left despite our offering him as much as anyone. Then there was Allan Houston, who left without even giving us some chance to match. Those were some fucked-up times.

HIll blatantly lied to Joe about his return then left him hanging. He screwed him and our team, we just happened to catch a lucky break. Screw Grant.

Well, Webber used the Pistons to drive up his pricetag, knowing fully that he wasn't signing here.

It's deception/lying anyway that you look at it, and it's all business.

I'd welcome Grant back, especially since he'd help and it would be a minor admission that he fucked up leaving in the first place.

Your wife washed your shirts on hot, they shrank, she says she doesn't know why.

Your wife fucks a dude, and lies about where she was.

Hey, it's all lying.

Not to mention he said he was happy not to be living in Detroit anymore upon going to Orlando.


*which I can't fault him for*

I agree with Herm.

http://seekingalpha.com/wp-content/seekingalpha/images/apples_oranges717601.jpg

Webber was looking at a max contract from Sacto without Detroit... there were other teams like New York and Houston that were in the mix there. The only edge Detroit had was hometown ties, and even his dad was all gung-ho for him staying where he did.

Your wife washed your shirts on hot, they shrank, she says she doesn't know why.

Your wife fucks a dude, and lies about where she was.

Hey, it's all lying.

I'm just talking about lying when it comes to sports/business, not real life.

Anybody that thinks pro athletes never lie to gain advantage when it comes to negotiation or free agency is living in a dream world.

They all do it, so it's silly to pick and choose who we hold it against.

That's all I'm saying.

HIll blatantly lied to Joe about his return then left him hanging. He screwed him and our team, we just happened to catch a lucky break. Screw Grant.
The one way that Grant Hill didn't screw Dumars was that, without Grant Hill, Dumars probably wouldn't have had the GM job at all. That was the reason a lot of folks thought he was made GM with relatively little front office experience.

That's speculative at best however and his success immediately after would seem to cast doubt on that explination.

I'm just talking about lying when it comes to sports/business, not real life.

Anybody that thinks pro athletes never lie to gain advantage when it comes to negotiation or free agency is living in a dream world.

They all do it, so it's silly to pick and choose who we hold it against.

That's all I'm saying.


And all I'm saying is that in life as well as sports, lying comes in degrees. Webber didn't tell Joe to sign a bunch of guys he wanted because he was sure to come there if things were set up right for him, then bolt without ever talking to Joe about it. He didn't screw us one bit, in fact he did us a quasi-favor ever coming here in the first place to see what kind of soul food we had to offer. Hill either intentionally or cowardly screwed us.

Idiotic post of the year.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

idiotic to think that a team thats won 4 of its last 5 playoff series (including a 6 game sweep against us, a team most on this board would probably rate above atleast some of the teams mentioned prior) is a pretty good team?

i'd accuse you of blind homerism but ive known for a while now that you have no idea what your talking about re: everything.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070614.GRANGE14/TPStory/Sports


Hill looks at budding Raptors, likes what he sees
MICHAEL GRANGE

June 14, 2007

CLEVELAND -- Watching the National Basketball Association final lurch to its inevitable result, two conclusions are clear - one with important ramifications for the Toronto Raptors and possibly even former NBA all-star Grant Hill.

The first is that the San Antonio Spurs are an excellent team, worthy of the dynasty talk that will come with their fourth title in nine years, a feat awaiting only the formality of their finishing off the overmatched Cleveland Cavaliers in the fourth game of the final tonight or (at the outside) the fifth game on Sunday.

The second is that the Eastern Conference is so wide open, the Raptors should be thinking of themselves as legitimate candidates to be here a season from now.

Doubtless general manager Bryan Colangelo and his crew think so, but even more significant, players who might help them get there are taking notice as well.

Hill, for example, has been covering the final as a television analyst for ABC. The Orlando Magic wing player will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and, after losing some of the prime years of his career to injury, is looking for an opportunity that will maximize his chances of earning an NBA title - or at least the chance to compete for one.

An uninspiring performance by the Cavaliers and the lack of a surefire next-best candidate in the East has suddenly put the Raptors into that mix.

"They're on the radar. Bryan's done a great job there," Hill said before the third game on Tuesday, adding that he would only begin focusing on his playing future after talking more with the Magic after the final is over. He also noted that his wife, recording artist Tamia Hill, is Canadian and said that "at this point in my career, a winning situation is the primary thing."

A source close to the former Duke University star also said Hill has mentioned the Raptors as a possibility among a select number of franchises, with the Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons under consideration. Certainly, the Raptors' playing style would seem to be a good fit for Hill, and there's no doubt that one of the NBA's most respected citizens would enjoy the team's uniformly drama-free locker room.

While Colangelo declined to comment on Hill, given he's not yet a free agent, it's thought he's seeking a short-term contract to maintain his flexibility.

There are other options to shore up the Raptors' need for more production from their small forward spot, though since Toronto can spend only the mid-level exception, the field is somewhat limited.

Does he hold up with the tempo that Colangelo wants to play with?

I think you'll have to ask his ankle that.

Marc Stein


Phoenix and San Antonio are offering only the veteran minimum salary for next season to Grant Hill: $1.2 million, with nearly $450,000 of that amount paid by the league office from a fund for veterans.

Detroit, Toronto and Orlando will be offering the 35-year-old much more.

Yet one source insisted early Sunday that he's already convinced that the injury-tortured Hill, having just completed a $93 million deal with Magic, is "going to Phoenix for sure."

That would be welcome news in the desert, since the Suns are desperate for savvy veterans to improve the team's overall IQ and since Hill is the only free agent Phoenix is looking to add to its hefty payroll.

The early indications, though, suggest Hill does want to consider all his options and won't rush into a commitment.

him going to phoenix is like the jalen rose thing all over again. F him if he does.

Yeah, ask Jalen how that worked out.

Obviously, they don't have enough wing players, having just gone out of their way to snag another one. Sheesh.

LET THE BARGAINING BEGIN
While free agents started signing deals Sunday (Vince Carter and Luke Walton stayed put in Jersey and Hollywood, while Miami’s Jason Kopono signed in Toronto), Grant Hill is expected to be more deliberate in his decision.

Sources say the Suns get their chance at bat on Tuesday. Hill is reportedly not keen on returning to Orlando, and the Raptors have their man in Kopono, leaving the likely suspects as the Suns, Detroit, Miami (now looking for a shooter) and San Antonio.

The Suns and Pistons are the front-runners. Stay tuned.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/92592

Would you all rather have Gerald Wallace or Grant Hill?

I don't think Wallace would want to come off the bench, so it's probably not an option unless Tay was dealt or would accept the SuperSub role we've talked about.

And I'm not so sure about G.Wallace at $10m+ per, either.

Give me Hill for one last run at a title.

Assuming that's a hypothetical and we're not worrying about money or anything, give me Gerald Wallace.

Would you all rather have Gerald Wallace or Grant Hill?

Thats hardly a fair question.

Anybody would rather have Gerald Wallace.

That said, Gerald is going to get much more than the MLE.

The only possible way we could get Gerald Wallace would be in a sign-and-trade.

I would like to have 1989 Scottie Pippen as our super sub so long as we're picking.

Would you rather have Wallace or 89 Pippen? Think here people.

Well it wasn't hypothetical... I meant all included, with what it would take to get either one. Obviously I'd take Wallace now as well, but if it were Hill for MLE vs. Wallace in S&T or whathaveyou, then who?

dickheadstakingmypostsoutofcontext

well, in any deal we'd probably be giving up Tayshaun.

so now you have Hill and Tayshaun, or just gerald wallace.

I'd take Hill and Tayshaun over Gerald Wallace.

Also, I'd take 1989 Scottie over Gerald Wallace, I think.

I'd take 96 Pippen over all of them.

I'd take 1994 pippen of 1996 pippen.

I don't know Pippen well enough to pick individual years without just looking at his stats and going "that year looks good"

You are all short sited. I'm gonna have joe lock him into a 6 year deal. duh.

"I admit it. I was scurred"

Why not just have MJ or Wilt as a backup instead of Gerald Wallace and be done with it?

This sounds less than promising.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0704suns-ON.html


Suns believe they'll get Hill

Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 4, 2007 10:23 PM

The Suns are not only expecting to hear an answer from free agent Grant Hill today, they expect to hear the one they want.

The Suns believe strongly that Hill will tell them he has decided to join them for the coming season. Hill can't sign anywhere before Wednesday, but he and his agent, Lon Babby, have been speaking with Suns General Manager Steve Kerr since free agency contact began Saturday night.

Phoenix's confidence that Hill is coming echoes the beliefs of many across the league and backs up statements Hill made last month. He told ESPN radio the Suns were a better fit for him than San Antonio. Detroit, run by Hill's friend Joe Dumars, and Orlando, where he lives and has been on the Magic since 2000, are deemed the top contenders.

San Antonio, Miami and Dallas also made phone pitches to Hill this week.

The Suns offered Hill, who will turn 35 before the season, a veteran's minimum deal of $1,219,590. A league fund covers $448,980 of that. Other teams could offer Hill more but have not seemed willing to use most or all of the mid-level exception (about $5.5 million) for him. Hill's priorities are to play for a team that has a shot at a title, a style that fits his skills, a significant role for him and practices that will not tax his body after five ankle surgeries and a hernia operation.

Hill, 6 feet 8 and 205 pounds, averaged 14.4 points last season and is a swingman who could start for Phoenix and use his court savvy to help run the offense when Steve Nash is out.

Honestly, that's probably where I'd go if I were him.

Is he going to play center for them?

Why, so he can play backup PF, or be badly out of position at PG? Why not run into another injury? They have Marion, Bell, Diaw, and Barbosa who are best at either the 2, the 3, or both. Wings James Jones and Eric Piatkowski are still on contract, and they just drafted another wing player in Alando Tucker.

They traded James Jones to Portland last week, possibly to make room for Grant?

Ohhh... didn't know he was traded. Portland got him? Damn... I'd have liked him off our bench. I missed that (probably because I haven't talked with my dad in Phoenix since the draft, who keeps me up on this stuff).

Why, so he can play backup PF, or be badly out of position at PG? Why not run into another injury? They have Marion, Bell, Diaw, and Barbosa who are best at either the 2, the 3, or both. Wings James Jones and Eric Piatkowski are still on contract, and they just drafted another wing player in Alando Tucker.
He's basically steping right in for James Jones. The Suns played 8 guys in the playoffs last year (with Barbosa, Diaw, and Jones playing backup). I think they will be able to find a spot in their rotation for Hill.

Fuck I'm slow today.

I still don't see how they fit his style. They are a running team. He'd be better off in a half court team IMO.

They've got runners and they already do that well. I think his main contribution will be when they get into the half court. Kurt Thomas isn't a runner but he moves on the floor well enough to work in an offense that runs.

He's basically steping right in for James Jones. The Suns played 8 guys in the playoffs last year (with Barbosa, Diaw, and Jones playing backup). I think they will be able to find a spot in their rotation for Hill.
Hill's position isn't where they have problems and lack depth, though. They have fine wing players who eat up tons of money. Hell, if anything, they could stand to get rid of an overpriced wing in Diaw, but only after they get a decent backup PG. The hard part is finding players for backup PG and backup PF/C that fit their run-run-run system (not Hill at this stage!) and don't cost an arm+leg. I'm surprised they're not going after another Orlando player...

They don't want to spend the money on PF/Cs who are really just large wing players in their system anyway. Hill is the best PG on the market now and he's certainly the biggest bargain PG (at the 3 spot) when getting him for the LLE. Seriously, it seems like a no brainer move to me Mxy. I don't get why you don't like this move.

I'd certainly rather have Grant pretending to be the PG from the 3 then Barbosa doing it from the 2.

They already have a backup point-forward who's rather good at it in Diaw. He also plays backup PF/C and has has a hefty-ass contract and questionable coachability, too, so he's not going anywhere soon.

The problem is that Diaw can't defend at the 1. They only have maybe three guys that can defend faster 1-guards.

Marcus Banks: who otherwise sucks on the court and $-wise
Leandro Barbosa: much better as an undersized 2-guard
Shawn Marion: as if he doesn't have enough to do

Grant Hill was a great player, but it's a gamble to take him, especially if you're gonna play him a lot of minutes and run a lot.

Mxy is right. They need a PG that can handle Parker. Even if it's only for 5-10 minute stretches. They can't afford Brevin Knight, what are their other options?

Hill to PHX


GRANT HILL LEAVING MAGIC TO SIGN WITH PHOENIX SUNS


By John Denton
FLORIDA TODAY

ORLANDO _ Grant Hill, whose seven years in Orlando were marred by crippling injuries to his ankle and abdomen, informed the Magic today that he is leaving to sign a free-agent contract with the Phoenix Suns.

Hill confirmed Thursday morning that he was leaving and said he would discuss the matter more later today. Check back with FLORIDA TODAY.com today for updates.

Hill, whose $92.88 million contract with the Magic expired on July 1, will sign a one-year deal for the veteran minimum of $1.2 million. The deal can't be officially signed until July 1, the first day contracts become official.

The soon-to-be 35-year-old guard/forward will be joining a Suns team looking get past San Antonio and Dallas in the Western Conference and play for a championship during two-time MVP Steve Nash’s prime. Hill has never been on a team that has won a playoff series in his 13-year NBA career.

Hill will likely replace Raja Bell in the Suns’ starting lineup at shooting guard. He could shift to his natural position, small forward, if Phoenix trades Shawn Marion as rumored.

Hill briefly flirted with retirement after the Magic were swept out of the playoffs by the Detroit Pistons. But after working as an analyst for ABC at The NBA Finals, Hill decided he wanted to make one more push at chasing a championship. San Antonio, Miami, Dallas, the Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando pursued Hill this offseason.

Unlike in 2000, when Hill visited Orlando on the first day of the free-agent courting period and committed verbally to the Magic two days later, he stayed at his Orlando home this time and communicated with teams. He heard pitches from the Spurs, Mavericks and Heat over the course of Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. It was his conversation with new Suns general manager Steve Kerr on Tuesday that led to him picking Phoenix.

Magic general manager Otis Smith said repeatedly that he wanted Hill back. And Hill’s hopes of returning seemed to spike last week when he met with new coach Stan Van Gundy, who told Hill he felt he could still play a vital role on the Magic.

That might have changed Tuesday when the Magic got a verbal commitment from 6-foot-10 small forward Rashard Lewis, the most coveted free agent on the market.

Hill arrived in Orlando as a free agent in 2000 to much hype and hope, but a broken left ankle soon soured those feelings. He played just four games his first season, 14 in the second and 29 in the third _ all of them ending with surgeries.

He missed all of the 2003-04 season when following a radical surgery in which Hill’s ankle and heel were broken purposely and realigned. But it was following that surgery that Hill contracted a nasty staph infection in his left leg. His fever spiked to 104.5 degrees and his body went into convulsions. Doctors eventually got his fever under control and had to replace veins in his lower left leg with ones from his upper arm.

He made a triumphant return in 2004-05, playing 67 games and making the all-star team while averaging 19.7 points a game.

But misfortune struck again when Hill tore muscles in his groin region and the subsequent sports hernia limited him to just 21 games as the Magic missed the playoffs yet again.

This past season, Hill made it all the way to the end of the season healthy for the first time since 1999. Despite being limited in back-to-back sets of games and rarely ever practicing, Hill averaged 14.4 points and led the Magic to the playoffs for the first time in four years.

Fire Michael Curry, waive Hunter.

The deal can't be officially signed until July 1, the first day contracts become official.


Try again, crappy writer.

damn, that sucks. i was really hoping for GHill as the anchor off of our bench.

is Mo Pete still in the picture?

I don't think anyone is really in the picture until Billups and Amir are figured out. No way to tell what money we'll have (assuming Davidson will not pay the tax).

he took that garbage salary to play in a team he doesnt fit just to stay away from cold ass detroit? lol...Atleast he got paid when he bolted for orlando. My guess is Tamia told him "phoenix isnt that bad in the winter baby. Much better than detroit". [smilie=jefffoster.: [smilie=peepwall.gi:

They already have a backup point-forward who's rather good at it in Diaw. He also plays backup PF/C and has has a hefty-ass contract and questionable coachability, too, so he's not going anywhere soon.

The problem is that Diaw can't defend at the 1. They only have maybe three guys that can defend faster 1-guards.

Marcus Banks: who otherwise sucks on the court and $-wise
Leandro Barbosa: much better as an undersized 2-guard
Shawn Marion: as if he doesn't have enough to do

Grant Hill was a great player, but it's a gamble to take him, especially if you're gonna play him a lot of minutes and run a lot.

How is it ever a gamble to sign a guy for almost nothing? Was Webber a gamble? And Diaw played like hot garbage in the playoffs, if this move means they get an upgraded version of him, its undoubtable a win. Seriously, if you are a Suns fan, aside from wishing the organization would spend on a PG, you wouldn't be complaining about this move.

I'd look for a trade from Phoenix now, maybe Raja Bell?

Now that they have a rotation player on the cheap, Kerr can move a contract to save some tax dollars.

Not many teams with cap room to help him, though.

(Eh, nevermind, I forgot that they already moved James Jones. Ironic, since I just posted about that about 4 hours ago).

How is it ever a gamble to sign a guy for almost nothing? Was Webber a gamble? And Diaw played like hot garbage in the playoffs, if this move means they get an upgraded version of him, its undoubtable a win. Seriously, if you are a Suns fan, aside from wishing the organization would spend on a PG, you wouldn't be complaining about this move.

It's a gamble when you are over the tax limit already. If they are willing to pay the extra few million with taxes included, it's no risk. If they are not, then someone will get dealt and then it becomes a risk. If Hill breaks down then you lose him and the player you dealt. it all depends on ownership.

You have to carry a certain number of players anyway, and the Suns only run 9 deep. There is 0 risk here.

http://image.weather.com/images/maps/seasonal/spec_seasonal1_600_en.jpg

Seems like perfect weather to me.

ESPN is saying it's two years, not one.

It's also their BAE, not the vet's minimum.


Hill to sign with Phoenix after agreeing to deal
ESPN.com

Updated: July 5, 2007, 12:48 PM ET

The overhaul of the Orlando Magic continued Thursday with veteran Grant Hill, who fell short of expectations in seven injury-marred seasons with the franchise, deciding to sign with the Phoenix Suns.

Hill's agent, Lon Babby, told ESPN.com's Chad Ford on Thursday that Hill has agreed in principle to a two-year deal -- known as a bi-annual exception -- for $1.8 million this season and almost $2 million in 2008-09 at the player's option. Teams can offer $1.2 million as the mid-level exception for veterans, but can offer the bigger $1.8 million bi-annually.

The deal will not be considered official until July 11, the first day free agents are allowed to officially sign new contracts.

How is it ever a gamble to sign a guy for almost nothing? Was Webber a gamble? And Diaw played like hot garbage in the playoffs, if this move means they get an upgraded version of him, its undoubtable a win. Seriously, if you are a Suns fan, aside from wishing the organization would spend on a PG, you wouldn't be complaining about this move.
Until Grant Hill spends serious time playing at PF/C, he's not replacing Diaw.

If you're going to make other moves to accomodate Grant Hill ("trade Raja Bell" was the very next response in this thread), you're taking a gamble. And, with their cap situation, even the veteran's minimun costs double the money.

I agree -- Diaw was dogging it all season. Whether that's because he got fat cat syndrome, was beat up playing too many minutes at backup distributor and PF/C (the latter being something he's simply not built for), who knows.

Another consideration is that this might be a precursor to moving Marion or even Amare in a KG deal.

They don't need to make any trades to "accomodate" Hill. His contract is tiny and he only adds to the team. And no I wasn't talking about Hill playing PF/C (I already posted that he'll take Jones' position, I thought I didn't need to state that again) but I would expect him to upgrade the role of versatile forward who can distribute (i.e. "an upgraded version" of Diaw).

i am very dissapointed, Hill was the only bargain this summer...our bench contains still just Dice and a bunch of unproven rooks + Max...suckz

Hopefully this will end the GHill/Piston talk forever.

I hate to take this kind of attitude, but I definitely don't wish Grant well in Phoenix. Probably doesn't matter anyway, because there is absolutely no way the Suns win a championship with a coach who can't coach defense AND offense (for further proof, look no further than good ol' coach Saunders).

I 'assumed' that he was coming here. Obviously wrong. I think he would have been fairly well recieved, but I'm done with him.

I never assumed Grant Hill was coming here at all. I assumed that there was too much baggage to really make that happen.

Grant Hill, who needs frequent bondo just to stay together most of a season on slow-paced half-court team, making it through a full season as a Phoenix starter? Riiiiggghhhhttt....

Anyone have an over/under for Grant Hill missing 20 games during the regular season?

i defintely thought we were the front runner for Grant Hill. because of Phoenix's style, the fact the the East is weak (easier to get to the Finals), and all of his Detroit ties made it look like our chances were good.

ah well.

Amir Johnson, SF of the future?

i'd go to phx too. even with them submarining rose. maybe the dry heat will be good for his ankle. phx is a lot closer to a championship than the pistons are.

Phoenix has never even been to the finals (with the current team) and you think they're closer? They play in a much tougher conference to boot. It's great that you're not a complete homer, but you're also wrong.

just goes to show Grant hasn't changed at all in the last 7 years.

He turned down Joe Dumars for less money in 2000, and he turned him down again this summer for less money.

LOL at Phoenix getting another player who is capable of playing 0 Defense...

this signing would've looked good...in 1999...

Phoenix will NEVER win a Title...period

Phoenix has never even been to the finals (with the current team) and you think they're closer? They play in a much tougher conference to boot. It's great that you're not a complete homer, but you're also wrong.

actually, your right. we're maybe closer to the finals, but theyre closer a ring for sure.

If we are closer to the Finals, and they're closer to the ring, that basically says we'd meet them in the finals. We'd win in a series to 7. BIllups >>>>>>>>>>> Nash.

grant Hill will be the next Jalen Rose of the Suns

he chose steve kerr over joe dumars...

im insulted.

I gave up on Grant Hill doing the right thing shortly after Joe Dumars became GM for some stramge reason.

I'd say PHX vs DET would indeed be close....but neither is better than SA.

I'd take Chauncey and Rip over Nash and Bell. But they have better bench production.

The more I think about it, there's only one player in the league that can put Detroit over the top.

Rasheed Wallace.

:(

^^ I agree to an extent. If Rasheed worked harder on his game and played in the post, giving a Ben Wallace-like effort, he'd be top 5 or at least top 10 in the league.

Oh well though, I've learned not to expect that...

We brought back all of Grant's cronies but it looks like we forgot the most important one.


Formal courtship between the Spurs and Hill never ensued. The Pistons, in fact, were far more disheartened by Hill's decision to go to Phoenix than anyone with an office on Spurs Lane.

Suns insiders believe assistant coach Alvin Gentry, who was on the Pistons' coaching staff through Hill's first five seasons in the league, was a major factor luring Hill to the Valley of the Sun. Don't doubt that Suns coach Mike D'Antoni, a Team USA assistant under Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, prevailed on Coach K to have a few words with the former Blue Devils star.

There are intangible factors at work, too. Hill may well believe it will be more fun running the floor with Steve Nash than with Tony Parker. It's hard to argue the notion. Nash is the league's best passer and its deepest thinker. Parker gets more cerebral on the court every season but remains more pure athlete than pure player. Plus, the Spurs already have Bruce Bowen at small forward and Manu Ginobili and Michael Finley at big guard. Those are Hill's positions. As fragile as his ankles have been the past seven seasons, Hill still wants to play, rather than sit.

Money clearly was no factor. Hill reportedly will get the biannual salary cap exception from the Suns, worth about $1.8 million. Had the Spurs made an offer, it likely would have been for the veteran's minimum, about $1.2 million for a player with 10 or more years of service. Hill has 12.

Hill could have gotten considerably more from the Pistons, at least double what the Suns offered. When Hill swears what he most wants is the opportunity to play for a championship, the fact he spurned a couple million bucks verifies the assertion.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/mmonroe/stories/MYSA070607.01D.COL.BKNmonroe.spurs.35567a6.html

But they have better bench production.



:(


They have one bench player...Barbosa


6 deep, now that James Jones is gone

They have one bench player...Barbosa


6 deep, now that James Jones is gone


We won't have anybody when Dice is starting :)

I got this link from a CWPF.

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070720/SPORTS08/707200371/1127/SPORTS0102


Suns fit bill best for Hill

By Rob Parker

Grant Hill thought for sure he was coming back to Detroit.

It just seemed to be a perfect way to finish his career -- return to where it started and tie it up with a nice bow.

While Hill was certain he wasn't going to re-sign with the Magic, he also had no plans of retiring. Hill played so well, in fact, that most forgot about all the ankle injuries that derailed his once sky-is-the-limit NBA career.

Best of all, Motown -- which once felt jilted by Hill for accepting an offer with the Magic in 2000 -- was showing nothing but love for Hill. This past season, fans at The Palace cheered Hill like he was still a Piston. So, it seemed likely Hill would become Tayshaun Prince's backup at small forward, playing about 15 minutes a night for the chance at a title.

Detroit was tempting
"It was something very real, returning to Detroit," Hill said Thursday. "It was a real opportunity and something I had to weigh. I looked very hard at Detroit and had some great conversations and dialogue with Joe Dumars."

But something happened between those conversations with Dumars, the Pistons president, and the signing of a new deal. Offers poured in to a surprised Hill, 34. The best was from the Suns.

"I just thought it was the right fit for me at this point in my career," said Hill, who recently signed a two-year, $3.8 million contract. "(Detroit) was hard to turn down.

"I liked the organization, the coaching staff and personnel. It's a team that's knocking on the door but just hasn't gotten there in terms of winning a championship."

Many teams believed Hill was a missing piece to getting the job done. Without identifying teams, Hill said he was offered other wonderful circumstances to continue his career. Some teams even wanted him to be a starter.

The deciding factor
"The truth of the matter is that there were a lot of other great situations," Hill said. "But ultimately, Phoenix was a good fit for me. I want to win a championship. That's why you play."

Hill would rather Pistons fans remember him as that unstoppable force who could do just about whatever he wanted before he was injured.

Remember, when the Pistons drafted Hill with the third overall pick in 1994, he was supposed to be the heir apparent to Michael Jordan's throne. Hill shared rookie-of-the-year honors with Jason Kidd.

Granted, it never materialized. Hill's Pistons never got out of the first round of the playoffs. But in a lot of ways, Hill was like Barry Sanders. Both did the best they could and were worth the price of admission -- even if their teams weren't always good.

"Yeah, I won championships in college, made All-Star teams, and won a gold medal in the Olympics," Hill said. "But to come back and get that kind of love was amazing."

No wonder Hill almost came back.

I so want a Pistons-Phoenix Finals match, to stick it to Grant Hill.