Denton: Now Retired, Hill Didn't Deserve Criticism While With Magic

[Ibn Battuta 127]

While former GM Otis Smith didn’t exactly run off Hill, he let him know that if he did return that it would only be in a bit role off the bench. Smith wanted control of the team to shift to Howard and point guard Jameer Nelson. Hill, who still has a healthy ego to go with his incredible grace and good-guy personality, took offense to that after all the work he had put in to get back on the court.

 

What a sportsman! After years of injuries and missing 65% of the games (not to mention the undying franchise and fan support), he has the nerve to demand a big role on the team. I'm glad Otis told him to take a hike. If you think about it, Grant is the real loser in this. He could have been an integral part of our finals team.

[~O~ 565]

For a seconds there, I thought this said Derrick Rose retired.

[Marc Acres 3:16 418]

I'm sorry, but the s&t gripe is just sour grapes. He didn't do a s&t to Orlando to help compensate Detroit, he did it for more money. It's not like if we got something worthless in return, it would suddenly be okay for some of you.

 

You're damn right it's sour grapes. What we got in return isn't the issue, the fact that we got NOTHING in return for 7 yrs of loyalty IS the issue. In fact if you look at the decision to try an come back in a season where he could have sat and netted us a medical exception he cost us more. If you look at our epically stupid decision to protect him in the expansion draft he indirectly cost us ZaZa at a time when we were fielding DeClerq as our center.

 

Joe Dumars' words-

 

"I took over as president of basketball operations in June of 2000 and 2 weeks later Grant Hill walked into my office and said he decided he was going to play in Orlando. So instead of just going he gave me the option of making a sign and trade."

 

 

My link

 

I couldn't find a link but I remember Grant specifically saying he felt like this was something he wanted to do because of his relationship with Joe. I'm still looking around for a link with regard to his comments after leaving us. I remember there being something said about just wanting a fresh start, and some mention from Otis about a lack of communication coming from Grant's camp.

 

I don't blame anyone on here for however they want to feel about this. My personal feeling is no one ever said a single negative comment while he was here and through no fault of his own destroying our cap space and chance at doing anything. If the guy cared at all about this city and the franchise he should have given the team the same courtesy he gave Dumars.

[TheREALBrooksThompson 157]

I don't blame anyone on here for however they want to feel about this. My personal feeling is no one ever said a single negative comment while he was here and through no fault of his own destroying our cap space and chance at doing anything. If the guy cared at all about this city and the franchise he should have given the team the same courtesy he gave Dumars.

 

I don't have a dog in this fight, my opinion of Grant Hill is the same as my opinion of pretty much any sports figure. I liked watching him play, but I don't know him personally and I don't know enough about what goes on behind the scenes to take a side in these things.

 

On the surface, the sign and trade issue that you're talking about seems to be the only legitimate reason to dislike the guy from our perspective, but again, I don't know what happened with that.

 

I'm skeptical of your characterization of that situation because you need at least three parties to agree for a sign and trade to happen. The Magic, Suns and Hill would all have had to agree to a deal. Perhaps you are correct that Hill was the one who didn't want that to happen, but I'm not sold on that yet.

 

Given where the team was at the time and the fact that Otis was at the helm, it seems entirely plausible to me that the Magic may not have been interested in doing something like that. Likewise for the Suns. But I don't know either way.

[Marc Acres 3:16 418]

I don't have a dog in this fight, my opinion of Grant Hill is the same as my opinion of pretty much any sports figure. I liked watching him play, but I don't know him personally and I don't know enough about what goes on behind the scenes to take a side in these things.

 

On the surface, the sign and trade issue that you're talking about seems to be the only legitimate reason to dislike the guy from our perspective, but again, I don't know what happened with that.

 

I'm skeptical of your characterization of that situation because you need at least three parties to agree for a sign and trade to happen. The Magic, Suns and Hill would all have had to agree to a deal. Perhaps you are correct that Hill was the one who didn't want that to happen, but I'm not sold on that yet.

 

Given where the team was at the time and the fact that Otis was at the helm, it seems entirely plausible to me that the Magic may not have been interested in doing something like that. Likewise for the Suns. But I don't know either way.

 

Here is the way I look at it, before leaving Detroit he speaks with Joe and gives him the option. Before leaving us he either said nothing, or gave Otis the option. Now, Otis was a terrible GM but I can't see him saying, no I would rather get nothing in return. The Sun's signed him for the vet min I can't believe that a contending team like PHX would not be willing to part with a 2nd pick, I just can't. Cash considerations, a bag of chips, SOMETHING. If he just walked from Detroit at least there would be a history of walking, it just kills me that he thought of them and for our 7 years of support we didn't get a thanks. I guess I expect more out of a guy that has been crammed down my throat as all class.

[Skywise316 211]

It's ALL sour grapes!

 

The point of all of this is that we are allowed to have them.

 

Yeah, my point to Berto was that we as fans are allowed to have sour grapes or not have sour grapes.. and there's not some statue of limitations where all fans should just forgive Grant Hill. I mean why... beause he retired? Good for him that he extended his career to "19" seasons or whatever, and I hope he never sets foot in Central Florida again. But that's me, that's my opinion, and I respect anyone else who has the opposite opinion. Berto, my point is yeah, he DID sign with Phoenix. But he COULD of re-signed with Orlando. Just because it didn't actually happen doesn't mean there was a zero percent chance of it ever happening.

 

Again, I'm not some cro-magnon of a fan who is mad with him that he couldn't play through a broken ankle or busted up achilles. I'm mad he, in my opinion, didn't do the right thing and stay with the Magic, or even try to stay with the Magic. I'm not even talking about the S/T part, that's just the "cherry on top," so to speak. Homeboy is not this class act he's painted himself out to be all these years.

 

Just... BLAH and whatever of the Shaqs and Grants and Dwights of the world.. I'm just so glad we have the team we have now and I can go all over my town and people stop me and talk about the Magic and compliment the Magic gear I wear. It's nice to be proud of my team and where it's going.

[LaVar 108]

The current situation that the Bulls have with Derrick Rose is something that makes me reminisce about our situation with the Magic with Grant Hill. Tracy McGrady was a lone shark around untalented players. Then we had Grant Hill eating up cap space.

I believe if Derrick Rose goes through the same situation that Grant Hill did, he'll be shipped. I doubt the Bulls make this "mistake" the Magic did.

 

Rose sat out an extra 6 months so this should not be an issue. Him not coming back for the playoffs is reflection of him looking at grants situation.

[Emory889 353]

Here is the way I look at it, before leaving Detroit he speaks with Joe and gives him the option. Before leaving us he either said nothing, or gave Otis the option. Now, Otis was a terrible GM but I can't see him saying, no I would rather get nothing in return. The Sun's signed him for the vet min I can't believe that a contending team like PHX would not be willing to part with a 2nd pick, I just can't. Cash considerations, a bag of chips, SOMETHING. If he just walked from Detroit at least there would be a history of walking, it just kills me that he thought of them and for our 7 years of support we didn't get a thanks. I guess I expect more out of a guy that has been crammed down my throat as all class.

 

If I remember correctly, that was the same year that Phoenix gave away 2 second round draft picks to Seattle just so the Sonics would take Kurt Thomas as well and save some salary. I can't imagine that a sign and trade involving Thomas wouldn't have intrigued Phoenix....and it certainly would have helped us.

[Emory889 353]

My biggest issue with Hill was that the Magic didn't leave him unprotected in the expansion draft.....even though there was little chance of him being taken, simply because Hill didn't want his ego bruised. It cost us a decent backup big man.

[30Assists 342]

Hill cost us a lot more than that, too. Because his salary was SO huge, we had basically nothing left over to put a real piece around the gem we found in Tracy McGrady. Hill didn't just cost us in money - he likely cost us quite a few wins too, just by his salary eating up such a massive amount of funds.

[Mat 4]

It´s pig´s fault or the guilty goes to who gives the food?

[Franchise408 116]

Yeah, I'm not sure why that keeps coming up. The same principle that says you can boo whoever you want also allows other people to express the idea that it's ridiculous to boo.

 

This too.

 

I still think the notion that Grant "owed" us to stay with the Magic is quite ridiculous.

 

And people make a lot of assumptions about how Phoenix would have made a sign & trade deal, but would they really? An older vet with a bad history of injuries? And you think another team would wanna be giving up something to acquire that?

 

I somehow doubt the demand for Grant Hill would have been high enough that would could have insisted on a sign & trade.