RealGM

Just found this article about Grant on the RealGM Wiretap, and after all the negativity that came up around here during the past few weeks, I thought it's great to read that he doesn't plan on opting out:
http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/51283/20080306/hill_says_phoenix_will_be_his_last_stop/

Think about it - the guy is playing his best B-Ball in years, he's doing better than he ever did in Orlando while earning close to nothing. And still he wants to stay around next season for less than 2 millions even though he could earn a lot more by just signing somewhere else.
Of course most likely there will be some Magic fans coming up with stuff like "He earned tons of millions for not playing at all during his time with us", but this doesn't change anything about the fact that he's a classy person and that there are plenty of guys in the league who'd still go for the money, no matter what happened during the previous years.

Kerr made a whole lot of mistakes during his first season as a GM, no doubt about that; but getting Hill for close to nothing definitely wasn't one of those.

"I really have no desire to uproot and go anywhere else," Hill said. "Aside from the appendectomy, this has been everything I dreamed about. This is it. This is the last stop for me."

Well pretty much the team's chances aren't as high anymore.

And it would take an off-season cleanup to put the right pieces back.

Its great to hear Hill saying those things.

To be honest, I think he has found a team where atleast he can say retired as a very good player.

The way Hill is playing is what I expect and ALL should expect a 32 year old version of prime Hill (Pistons days)... the thing is... he's 35. So its even better.

16/4/3 is just terrific. Hill can retire with the feeling that he played well, redemption to his injury plagued career. If I was in the same shoes, I'd feel great retiring knowing I played to what I am capable of and not just a bench warmer who was brought in to teach the youngsters back in the locker room.

Think about it - the guy is playing his best B-Ball in years, he's doing better than he ever did in Orlando while earning close to nothing. And still he wants to stay around next season for less than 2 millions even though he could earn a lot more by just signing somewhere else.
Of course most likely there will be some Magic fans coming up with stuff like "He earned tons of millions for not playing at all during his time with us", but this doesn't change anything about the fact that he's a classy person and that there are plenty of guys in the league who'd still go for the money, no matter what happened during the previous years.

.... As I recall, when Grant's contract expired he was quite upfront about it simply being time for a fresh start somewhere else. he worked his ass off trying to come back all the time he was there - there was a nice article written by a reporter who shadowed him and said, to paraphrase, 95 per cent of pro athletes in his situation would just sit back and collect the cheques, but Hill was working ferocioulsy at rehabbing "because it's my job to do everything I can to get back", and becuase it was a point of pride not to just take the money and sit back.

I don't think anyone can question his integrity. I don't blame magic fans for feeling cheated, but I'm sure hill feels the same way about all the years he lost.

Grant Hill has always been a class act and it is one of the less well-publicized "feel good" stories in the league to see him performing at a high level and enjoying himself while playing for the Suns.

For his sake, as much as for Shaq's and everyone else's, I hope the Suns win a title this year or next year.

Magic fans who are miffed at Hill are just idiots, there is no getting around that. The fact that Hill endured like three different surgeries and kept TRYING to play, despite a staph infection that nearly killed him says enough about how hard he tried to be this player for them.

tsherkin wrote:Grant Hill has always been a class act and it is one of the less well-publicized "feel good" stories in the league to see him performing at a high level and enjoying himself while playing for the Suns.

For his sake, as much as for Shaq's and everyone else's, I hope the Suns win a title this year or next year.

Magic fans who are miffed at Hill are just idiots, there is no getting around that. The fact that Hill endured like three different surgeries and kept TRYING to play, despite a staph infection that nearly killed him says enough about how hard he tried to be this player for them.

ts. you have disappointed me. It was 4 ankle surgeries and 1 sports hernia surgery, as well of your aforementioned staph infection. One might also want to point out the fact that his wife (Tamia Hill) was diagnosed with MS, I believe just prior to signing the Magic contract.

He has been through a plethora of bad things. I commend him for his hard work and all that he has down. He has lost a lot of years and possible stats that might put him as one of the best ever. That we'll never know, but we do know that he has worked hard through it and this year and his success on the court is a tribute to him. I hope we can get him that ever elusive ring.

I thought you were gonna say Gordan Giricek was waived again...

j/k Grant Hill can do so much more in the offense, and I think he just needs to get rid of his thousands of years in the league and let his Mike D'Antoni child inside run like a bird. I think he can be very very valuable and also proven All-Star.

Never Fear 33 Is Here wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



ts. you have disappointed me. It was 4 ankle surgeries and 1 sports hernia surgery, as well of your aforementioned staph infection. One might also want to point out the fact that his wife (Tamia Hill) was diagnosed with MS, I believe just prior to signing the Magic contract.

One might point that I'm going on 48 consecutive hours of wakefulness on account of insomnia and that I can't be expected to function at peak level through the whole of such a massive disruption of the natural circadian rhythm...

tsherkin wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



One might point that I'm going on 48 consecutive hours of wakefulness on account of insomnia and that I can't be expected to function at peak level through the whole of such a massive disruption of the natural circadian rhythm...

Excuses, excuses.