Grant Hill would have been the perfect offseason acquisition for the Toronto Raptors. A smart, team-oriented veteran who could come in and help teach the young pups how to win when it counts. Hill doesn't have a ring, but he's the consummate pro and is regarded as one of the classiest guys in the NBA. If Toronto is looking for a veteran to come in and link the foreign players (the Raptors may have as many as eight on the roster to start next season) and the Americans, Hill is their guy.And it looks like they won't get him.
Damaging news to the league's top GM, Bryan Colangelo (this list is solid, but I've still got Colangelo at the top). I've been scouring the free agent lists floating about the net and there really isn't a glue guy to be found. Chris Webber? You know I like him, but I wouldn't put C-Webb in the Grant Hill glue category. Jerry Stackhouse? He's going to want minutes and shots, and might not be worth the headache.There are those in the Raptors organization who think they will lose out on Grant Hill not to Detroit or Phoenix but to San Antonio.
The Spurs may be willing to give Hill a starting role – bringing Mike Finley and Manu Ginobili off the bench – and Hill would get a chance to finally play alongside Tim Duncan, seven years after they were supposed to hook up in Orlando.
I know the Raptors are going to put on a full-court press but it might not be enough.
Colangelo is as crafty as they come, and you can be sure Raptors fans will be praying he works his magic.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-26-2007 @ 10:45PM
FDANAYSAYERS said...
if the Spurs do sign Grant Hill, Finley isn't coming back, there aren't enough minutes to spread out between Finley, Manu, Bowen and Grant Hill, of course if he comes to Phoenix his ankles will snap, so heres hoping he does go to San Antonio and Finley makes a return to the Valley..
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6-27-2007 @ 9:18PM
Dante said...
my question would be: why can't Colangelo offer Grant Hill a starting position? I'm sure there are more reasons than just this one for Hill to consider when he chooses his final destination, but after reading that same paragraph, i didn't understand why it is being made to be such a huge deal... Look at the Raptors' roster and there isn't a single player on there who could be justified to start instead of Grant Hill... I think that a lot of the players in the 2 and 3 positions are young guys and would benefit a lot coming off the bench behind Grant Hill...
I think it should be recognized that Grant Hill still has game...he averaged almost 15 per game last year averaging about 15 shots per game...give him the type of touches that Kobe, Lebron, Melo or McGrady gets and he can easily put up 20, 5 and 5 on a nightly basis...
To be honest though, i just don't want to see my favourite basketball player wearing a Spurs uniform =)
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6-28-2007 @ 5:44AM
Allan Cheung said...
My only question would be: Why would Colangelo have a problem with offering Grant Hill a starting job at the 2 or 3 spot? I'm sure this factor is only one of many that Hill is considering when choosing which team he will go to next, but upon initially reading that exact same excerpt, the first thing that came to my mind was, "what's the big fuss?" Grant Hill is a starter and should be a starter on at least 75% of the teams in the league...
Look at the Raptors' roster and other than Mo Pete, all you will find are young guys who would definitely benefit from coming off the bench behind Grant Hill....
People should come to grips with the fact that Grant Hill still has game... he averaged near 15 ppg while taking about 13 shots per game... give him the touches that kobe, t-mac, lebron, d-wade get and he could easily give a team 20, 5 and 5 on a nightly basis....
...to be honest though, i just don't want to see my favourite NBA player wearing a Spurs' uniform...
...my two pennies have been dropped...
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