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hobojoe · 02-20-2005, 04:38 PM

Hill has further to climb

Quote:

DENVER -- He is the feel-good story of the weekend. The feel-good story of the season, actually.

Yet even Grant Hill concedes that his comeback isn't nearly complete.

Back in the All-Star Game for the first time in a half decade, and having played more games this season (50) than in his first four Orlando seasons combined (47), Hill knows what's missing.

Playoff success.

Heartwarming as it is to see Hill here after five foot surgeries, it was inevitable that some media cynic would toss out a reminder that Hill has yet to win a single series in his career.

The good news? Hill's in such a pleasant mood after making it back this far, he didn't mind. He even agreed with our premise.

Then Hill took it a step further and revealed that, at 32, he still dreams of winning a championship someday.

"Nobody believed me when I said I would come back and play this season," Hill offered with a wide grin. "Maybe no one will believe we can win a championship."

You get the point he's making, but the omen he's searching for is more than a tad optimistic. While Orlando truly is one of the season's surprise teams, at 28-24 and sixth in the East, no one dares to talk title, no matter how much they like Hill. The Magic are obviously a piece or three away from serious contention.

But Orlando certainly has a foundation again ... if Hill stays healthy. His impact on Steve Francis and rookie forward Dwight Howard has been undeniable, and Hill, in his own words, contends that he's merely "in the middle of the comeback."

LINK

Good to see something different from the usual comeback story we've grown accustomed to seeing over the course of this season. Playoff success would be great. Really, only Turkoglu and Christie have experienced any playoff success at all of guys on the Magic who play a signficant role on the team.

**JNice** · 02-20-2005, 04:48 PM

I don't know if Hill really needs playoff success to make his comeback complete. As far as I am concerned, being an All-Star starter makes it about as complete as can be. Playoff success would just be the cherry on top.

I hope Hill can stay healthy enough to last a while so he is still around when Dwight starts truly developing. Until then, Orlando's playoff success probably maxes out at maybe a 2nd round appearance or two.

I think it will be interesting to see if Hill stays healthy if he again becomes a Hall of Fame shoo-in. I think a lot of people were borderline on him assuming he would never come back. Now, if he can stay healthy and play pretty well for another 3-4 yrs, I think he'll be a shoo-in again.

Also, it should be interesting if he stays healthy what happens at the end of next season. Will Hill re-sign with Orlando on the cheap because of all the money they paid him he didn't earn? Or will he look around at other teams?

hobojoe · 02-20-2005, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JNice

Also, it should be interesting if he stays healthy what happens at the end of next season. Will Hill re-sign with Orlando on the cheap because of all the money they paid him he didn't earn? Or will he look around at other teams?

I don't think Hill goes anywhere this offseason. I just can't see him doing that to the Magic after all the money they paid him to do nothing. I think he either opts out and takes a smaller contract to stay with the Magic or he just keeps the contract he has right now.

**JNice** · 02-20-2005, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobojoe

I don't think Hill goes anywhere this offseason. I just can't see him doing that to the Magic after all the money they paid him to do nothing. I think he either opts out and takes a smaller contract to stay with the Magic or he just keeps the contract he has right now.

Yeah, I don't expect him to opt-out this off-season. While in a nice utopia he'd opt-out and re-sign for less with Orlando, as good a guy as he is, I don't see that happening.

I mean moreso after next season when his contract is officially up. I wonder what will happen then.

hobojoe · 02-20-2005, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JNice

Yeah, I don't expect him to opt-out this off-season. While in a nice utopia he'd opt-out and re-sign for less with Orlando, as good a guy as he is, I don't see that happening.

That's what I initially thought, but when I thought about it more it really does make sense that he'd do that. He's fine on money, he doesn't need anymore, he's a great guy, and most important of all he's at the point in his career where all he wants to do is win. He's been in the all-star game 7 times, he's been on the all-nba team, he's done everything as an individual that he can do. I think at this point he'd be willing to do almost anything to help the team. Not to say this necessarily will happen, but I think it's very possible.

**JNice** · 02-20-2005, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobojoe

That's what I initially thought, but when I thought about it more it really does make sense that he'd do that. He's fine on money, he doesn't need anymore, he's a great guy, and most important of all he's at the point in his career where all he wants to do is win. He's been in the all-star game 7 times, he's been on the all-nba team, he's done everything as an individual that he can do. I think at this point he'd be willing to do almost anything to help the team. Not to say this necessarily will happen, but I think it's very possible.

I'm not sure Hill re-signing for less would really help all that much. I guess it depends on how far under the cap we can get, if we can get under it at all. I think right now we are well over the cap. I don't really follow the cap situation as closely as others do though.

**X-Factor** · 02-20-2005, 06:13 PM

Grant Hill has played over just about anyones expectations for him this year... if there even were any. Grant Hill is starting to get some of the haters off of him but many still remain because of hs contract and him "not earning" the money. As I tend to agree with those people, my intial great disappointment in Grant has been sort of smoked-screened by this years proformance... and that's only with half the season gone. If Grant wins a championship this year with the Magic he'll tend to get most of those haters off his back because they don't have any argument against him anymore... well... not as many.

hobojoe · 02-20-2005, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JNice

I'm not sure Hill re-signing for less would really help all that much. I guess it depends on how far under the cap we can get, if we can get under it at all. I think right now we are well over the cap. I don't really follow the cap situation as closely as others do though.

It's not a matter of getting under the cap, really. It's more of a gesture to management that he's committed to winning as it frees up money for the franchise. Although it has no cap implications, it frees up money which could make the team more willing to dish out a 6-year MLE deal.

**JNice** · 02-20-2005, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minnesota Magician

Grant Hill has played over just about anyones expectations for him this year... if there even were any. Grant Hill is starting to get some of the haters off of him but many still remain because of hs contract and him "not earning" the money. As I tend to agree with those people, my intial great disappointment in Grant has been sort of smoked-screened by this years proformance... and that's only with half the season gone. If Grant wins a championship this year with the Magic he'll tend to get most of those haters off his back because they don't have any argument against him anymore... well... not as many.

Well, I think there is a miniscule chance on Hill getting himself a championship this year. It would take a considerable amount of luck for Orlando and for Dwight Howard to suddenly turn into Tim Duncan.

hobojoe · 02-20-2005, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minnesota Magician

Grant Hill has played over just about anyones expectations for him this year... if there even were any. Grant Hill is starting to get some of the haters off of him but many still remain because of hs contract and him "not earning" the money. As I tend to agree with those people, my intial great disappointment in Grant has been sort of smoked-screened by this years proformance... and that's only with half the season gone. If Grant wins a championship this year with the Magic he'll tend to get most of those haters off his back because they don't have any argument against him anymore... well... not as many.

Win a championship this season?

**X-Factor** · 02-22-2005, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobojoe

Win a championship this season?

It's a lot of hate...

But that's not really the context I meant to use it in, I was trying to refer to the notion that he could win a championship before he retires but I typed it noy like I meant to.

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