The Grant Hill thread

[Roy Hobbs]

Hill is entitled to his opinion.  If a regular employee decided to take a job where he earned more money and lived in the place he wanted to live, but never had any advancement opportunity, I doubt people would criticize him for being a loser.  People have different desires and ambitions in life.

I don't get the "his wife wants to live in NY" thing, because Boston is so close to the city, and the Hills have had plenty of opportunity to live in New York before now, and haven't.  Logically, that story line doesn't make sense to me, and if the story is about his wife's career, I don't understand why Boston would be behind Phoenix.

However, I do understand comfort, role, and to some extent money playing a part in his decision.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Gary_Tanguay - As of 12 30 last night the Celtics were still working on signing Grant Hill. Hill''s agent said Phx, NY and Boston all in the hunt.
5 minutes ago from TwitterBerry

[Roy Hobbs]

Quotes via Marc Spears, rather than Tanguay:

Although New York and Phoenix can offer more money, the agent for free agent Grant Hill says the Celtics are still in the mix for his client’s services.

Agent Lon Babby said via e-mail yesterday that Boston, New York, and Phoenix are contenders to sign the 36-year-old forward and a decision is expected soon.

Doc Rivers, who coached Hill in Orlando, has recently met with him. Celtics guard Ray Allen said he also has talked to Hill, and Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce have been in touch as well.

“I’ve spoken to him. He and I are friends,’’ Allen said. “I’ll have a conversation with him again. My phone lines are open.

“I hate to be a bugaboo, but in a situation like this, it’s like, ‘What do you need? Come to town. Let’s hang out. Let’s get together because as much as I want to do this for myself, I want to do it for you, too.’ It’s a two-way street.

“I couldn’t tell you [which team he’s leaning toward] and I don’t even want to be rude and ask to try to prepare. You just hope, just like Rasheed [ Wallace], you just hope that they see this is a great place to be.’’

On his sales pitch to Hill, Allen said, “When we talked, [Hill] was excited about what I was telling him. I told him, ‘If you ever want to win a championship, you want to win it in Boston because you become a god, you become a part of a legacy and you won’t die with the fans. It will always be everlasting. You can be with other cities and win it, but nothing like here.’ ’’

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/07/10/hill_stays_in_team8217s_sights/

[Rida]

If Grant Hill's wife wears the pants in his relationship and he'd rather give up a shot at a ring so that his wife can make it in music, then i'm sorry but that shows he is not a true winner.

Pop quiz:  Between Grant Hill and his wife, which one has probably sacrificed more for their spouse's professional career? 

If you have a brain, you know the answer is Grant Hill.  If his wife is serious about making it in music, and truly believes that being in New York is a necessary step to make it in the biz, more power to Grant for being the big enough man to make that concession to his wife. 

How many people try and make in in music or acting or sports for that matter and fail.

The percentage is too high maybe close to 99% of people want to be either and athlete a musician or an actor.

The point is Grant Hill made it, his wife never will make it, because Ive seen her on You Tube and I would pay her to shut up rather than sing.

So while he has made it, the only thing left for him is to win a ring which he has failed to do in his close to 17 year career, and what he is supposed to be working for his whole life.

[celticinorlando]

Ray Allen is just all class. I am glad he wasn't traded

[Cman]

His choices appear to honestly be down to boston and new york.
I'm sorry, but I really can't see how this is a choice?
boston is ready to win now and last time i checked, hill doesnt have a ring. he wont get it in new york, and will likely end his career ringless if he goes there.

As I recall, NY offered Hill a choice between a one year deal at the MLE (or close to it) or a 3 year deal at $10M.  The hope in either case is that he will help woo LeBron James to NY.  If he takes the second offer (ie: ends up in NY for 3 years), and NY ends up with LBJ and DWade (let's say), then Hill will have a legit chance at a ring.  Far-fetched?  Perhaps, but these are the types of things that Hill needs to think over.

In any case, I respect his decision.

[bknova]

i say forget about grant hill, i hate kissing people ass
trade giddens, t.allen, pruitt n walker for posey. NO need to get raid of some contract n only Tony contract is guarantee for 2.5 n we pick up Posey for 6.

Perk, Kg , Sheed, BBD, Scal
Pierce, posey
Allen, House
Rondo,Lester n sign Lue

EW! enough with James Posey, we're not going to get him. We don't need his salary on our books while trying to rebuild after the big 3's current contracts are up plus we'll need all the money possible for signing Rondo and Perk.

We're not going to trade every young player we have for an old player with a bad contract.

Danny was right not to guarantee the extra year on Posey.  If Hill chooses not to sign, and Baby wants a sign and trade to NO, we move Baby for some combination of Rasual Butler, Julian Wright, and Hilton Armstrong. 

[vagrantwade]

Lots of immaturity going on up in here.

Everyone else in the country will hate him and call him a ring chaser. But Celtics fans claim he doesn't deserve respect unless he becomes a ring chaser.

Nice.

[kozlodoev]

2 Million Dollars is going to make a difference to Hill? come on lets be serious...

When is the last time you went to your employer and asked him to cut your salary? I thought so.

[GKC]

i say forget about grant hill, i hate kissing people ass
trade giddens, t.allen, pruitt n walker for posey. NO need to get raid of some contract n only Tony contract is guarantee for 2.5 n we pick up Posey for 6.

Perk, Kg , Sheed, BBD, Scal
Pierce, posey
Allen, House
Rondo,Lester n sign Lue

EW! enough with James Posey, we're not going to get him. We don't need his salary on our books while trying to rebuild after the big 3's current contracts are up plus we'll need all the money possible for signing Rondo and Perk.

We're not going to trade every young player we have for an old player with a bad contract.

Danny was right not to guarantee the extra year on Posey.  If Hill chooses not to sign, and Baby wants a sign and trade to NO, we move Baby for some combination of Rasual Butler, Julian Wright, and Hilton Armstrong. 

I think Rasual Butler would be a good addition. He shoots the ball pretty well, and is very long (6'7 at SG/SF) though he is skinny. Low turnover rate though, so we know he makes good decisions.

I'd like to see it.

[Donoghus]

I learned a long time ago to stop projecting my thoughts and feelings onto athletes.

What might seem like a no-brainer to you and I, isn't always necessarily the case.

[yall hate]

Who cares why he makes the decision he makes. He is going to do what he thinks is best for himself and his family.

Are all the people who are upset with him upset with Pierce, KG, and Ray Allen for not reducing their salaries?  I mean, they could renegotiate their deals to take much less (they have made enough) and then we could be major players in the FA market.  wouldnt that be good of them.  dont they want to win. 

get real.

[Rondo2287]

I dont think anybody has ever criticized Hill for his personality, effort, or integrity throughout the course of his career.  He has earned the right to choose where he wants to go without us judging him.  If he comes to boston thats great.  If not we will deal and we will probably beat him and his new team. 

[bdm860]

I don't get the "his wife wants to live in NY" thing, because Boston is so close to the city, and the Hills have had plenty of opportunity to live in New York before now, and haven't.  Logically, that story line doesn't make sense to me, and if the story is about his wife's career, I don't understand why Boston would be behind Phoenix.

To me it can make sense, marriage is about compromise (or so this single guy has been told  ).  I bet all Grant Hill's previous stops took into consideration Grant Hill's career first, the stops in Phoenix and Orlando were best for Grant.  I can see the conversation going something like, Grant the last two times we moved it was what best for you first and me second.  Now how about we make a move that considers me first and you second?  You've had your chance to be the star and shine, now that your not a star anymore, maybe it's time we make a move for me.  You still get to play basketball in a great city for a coach you like, and I can do more with my music.

Maybe some of the married guys can tell me:
If you moved your wife across the country twice for your career, and now contemplating moving again for a job, and your wife moved for you no problem both times before.   But now your wife has a chance to take a better job and you can move for her and get a similar job to the one you have now, although the job you'd take wouldn't be as great as one in another city but still a pretty good gig.  You'd have to consider now making a sacrifice for your wife who has made sacrifices for you, right?


And you guys talking about Grant Hill's wife trying to make it in music, come on now, she HAS made it in music already.  Gold albums, Top 10 singles, nominated multiple times for Grammys, toured the US and overseas, been on magazine covers.  Anybody who knows r&b knows who Tamia is.  How much more does it take to actually make it?

[davemonsterband]

I stopped respecting him when he went to Phoenix. If he doesn't go to Boston he doesn't want a ring, history will judge him, we don't have to. He can go down like Zo or he can go down like regular has-beens, his decision. All the other factors are for him to worry about.