<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">By Tim Povtak | Sentinel Staff Writer Posted August 3, 2004 ORLANDO MAGIC - The Orlando Magic soon could be overloaded at small forward after signing veteran Stacey Augmon on Monday. It's a problem they would love to have. Magic General Manager John Weisbrod signed Augmon despite Weisbrod leaving Duke University last week after seeing a fit-looking Grant Hill play full-speed five-on-five basketball with several former Blue Devils players. Hill had invited Weisbrod to Duke to watch him scrimmage. Also playing were former Magic player Corey Maggette, Memphis forward Shane Battier and Magic teammate Pat Garrity, who missed last season after knee surgery. "Grant looked great, jumping, running with no pain and no ice bags afterward. I don't want to get too excited before we see it here for an extended period, but I came back feeling good about both our guys," Weisbrod said. Hill has missed most of the past four seasons with left ankle problems that have required numerous surgeries. He has said that if this comeback attempt fails that he would retire. "We're going to be built the same way whether he plays or not," Weisbrod said. "If he can play, it's icing on the cake for us. But if that icing on the cake turns out to be our best player, that's a great bonus. Right now it's too fantastic for me to think it yet." </div> Full Story I've also read other Magic columnist and NBA scouts that have said Hill has looked the best since he's been here. I've got a good feeling this is the year Hill stays healthy. Now whether he will put Grant-Hill like numbers is up for another debate.
That is great news I hope he can play at full strength and become somewhat the player he was before the injury.
Oh, how convenient. Not saying Grant sucks or anything, because he used to be one of the best...but is this guy trying to pull an Erick Dampier? I know his player option is for the 2005-2006 season, correct? Good way to suddenly make a comeback and reload your value just before his player option. Here's to the smartest money-maker in the league: sit out for pretty much 4 seasons and do nothing, then come back and play like you're the Hill of the mid and late-90's...I saw this one coming.
These are great news for Magic and Grant Hill fans,If Hill overcomes this and averages atleast 12 ppg,6 rpg and 4 apg next season (I doubt he gets alot of minutes) and plays atleast 80 games,should be in a very good shape for 2005-06 season.Next question is should he be in the hall of fame then? I say if he averages close to his old stats,he should cause overcoming such a big injury and playing like he used to shows his strenght and love for the game.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting realdealbneal:</div><div class="quote_post">Oh, how convenient. Not saying Grant sucks or anything, because he used to be one of the best...but is this guy trying to pull an Erick Dampier? I know his player option is for the 2005-2006 season, correct? Good way to suddenly make a comeback and reload your value just before his player option. Here's to the smartest money-maker in the league: sit out for pretty much 4 seasons and do nothing, then come back and play like you're the Hill of the mid and late-90's...I saw this one coming.</div> Man what are you tring to say just because it is a contract year you would like to see him get hurt and not come out and perform well. Those surgeries he had done were real he didnt want to sit out those 4 seasons and go through all those painful surgeries. The reason it seems like this will be his most likely if not last come back is because this was the longest and most extensive of all his ankle surgeries. They had to realign his foot and ankle with a bar or something to reinforce it not sure how that works, but if anyone would care to explain that they could feel free to. Everyone of his injuries were really real why would he want to drop his market value by sitting out those years when he could have been signed to a huge max long time extension be it not the injuries. He was being compared to jordan before the injuries (but alot of people are compared to him). He will probable get less money then he would get even if he does opt out and become a free agent do to him still being injury prone. The definition of injury prone being as known to have mutliple injuries over a certain period of time.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting realdealbneal:</div><div class="quote_post">Oh, how convenient. Not saying Grant sucks or anything, because he used to be one of the best...but is this guy trying to pull an Erick Dampier? I know his player option is for the 2005-2006 season, correct? Good way to suddenly make a comeback and reload your value just before his player option. Here's to the smartest money-maker in the league: sit out for pretty much 4 seasons and do nothing, then come back and play like you're the Hill of the mid and late-90's...I saw this one coming.</div> That makes no sense at all? Why would he have surgery if it was all a "fake" and he wanted money? This was a severe injury and to even think he is coming back for the money is just pure ignorance..
I'm not saying I want him to get hurt because it's his contract year. I'm saying it's awful that he had to go through what he did, but he could've suggested some kind of solution to the Magic organization when he saw that they were getting beat badly, with him sitting on the bench and eating up the salary. Guys do things for their teams...Garnett took a paycut...things like that. Some guys don't. Hill was so hurt that he played 4 games his first year with the Magic...but then 14 the next season, and 29 last season. If he was so concerned, and if he was smart enough, he would make sure his health was at 100% before he even stepped back out on the court. Instead, he has toyed with the team, and gave them reason to believe that he "could make it back" in due time. Well, now is the time, but it's just pretty ironic that he does this right before he's got a chance to make more money. Dampier played like an average center until last year, where suddenly he had a breakout season...why? Because of the money.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Kobe 8 Ball:</div><div class="quote_post">That makes no sense at all? Why would he have surgery if it was all a "fake" and he wanted money? This was a severe injury and to even think he is coming back for the money is just pure ignorance..</div> I wish people would read closer...I never said his injuries were fake. I said that he was probably healed up last year, to where he could play more than the 29 games he did, but he was concerned that his value would drastically decrease after this upcoming season. This gave him a HUGE reason to only play the limited minutes, and the few games, and then to make the impact when he CAN, when he knows he's had a year off and everyone is watching him. He was never 100%, obviously, but alot of guys that do get hurt play hurt. Grant may have been hurt badly his first two years with the Magic, but I believe he slowly healed, and was nearly 100% last year...it just wasn't shown because he was unsure of how his future contract would play out, and unsure of how good his game would be.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I wish people would read closer...I never said his injuries were fake. I said that he was probably healed up last year, to where he could play more than the 29 games he did, but he was concerned that his value would drastically decrease after this upcoming season.</div> You just contradicted your 1st sentence. You're not making any sense. Go back to the Laker Forum.
haha for once I agree with Crazytown..that is a rarity...He had pain in his ankle last year, I serioulsy doubt he wants some money with all the time he has been off of the court, I seriously woudl think that money would be no issue to him and he just wanted to play basketball on a healthy ankle again..not worry about money..
How did I contradict myself? First off, I <u>never said</u> he was faking it. Secondly, I didn't say he was completely healed up last year, but he would've been able to play. So, both of you are wrong about me contradicting myself. I simply stated that he was still hurt, just not as serious last year to where he couldn't play. He wasn't trying to fake hurt last year, he just realized how much of a risk it was on his contract and his future with the Magic or for any other team.
not playing last year had nothing to do with his contract..he was looking out for his own personal health, he felt pain in his ankle and he already had previous serguries..there was no need for him to push himslef and possibly re-aggrevating his ankle and ending his career for good..
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Kobe 8 Ball:</div><div class="quote_post">not playing last year had nothing to do with his contract..he was looking out for his own personal health, he felt pain in his ankle and he already had previous serguries..there was no need for him to push himslef and possibly re-aggrevating his ankle and ending his career for good..</div> Well I suppose I really don't know if he sat out purposely or not, but actually...you don't know if that's true, either...so let's leave it at that.
ok..whether Im right or your right its good that he isnt feeling pain, hopefully he will be able to contribute to the Magic this year
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Kobe 8 Ball:</div><div class="quote_post">ok..whether Im right or your right its good that he isnt feeling pain, hopefully he will be able to contribute to the Magic this year</div> Yeah...because if the man is 100%, the Magic will be a nasty team to have to play against. Francis, Mobley, Hill, Howard, Nelson and Battie...they'd make the playoffs IMO.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting realdealbneal:</div><div class="quote_post">Oh, how convenient. Not saying Grant sucks or anything, because he used to be one of the best...but is this guy trying to pull an Erick Dampier? I know his player option is for the 2005-2006 season, correct? Good way to suddenly make a comeback and reload your value just before his player option. Here's to the smartest money-maker in the league: sit out for pretty much 4 seasons and do nothing, then come back and play like you're the Hill of the mid and late-90's...I saw this one coming.</div> I see where you are coming from with this comment realdeal with the self-centered slant that most players tend to have in this league, but I must disagree since Grant really is a different character than most. I for one seriously doubt that Grant is planning for his extension... he's just hoping to get by, day by day. I also think that he'll sign an unusually small contract extension with the magic (if he's successful this come-back) out of a deep respect for the Magic staff, and because he's a person of class. I of course could be very wrong, but I doubt it.
People use the edit button so you don't double post. That's kind of aggravating to me. BOT. Grant Hill has wasted time and money to this organization and he could've tooken some kind of action to where all this waste could've been reduced some. Now as far as his comeback and him feeling no pain that's great news. I know alot of Magic fans prayed that he would comeback great this season and this news make the senario lean more toward that direction. Hopefully he will continue to improve becuase as a fan iI want the best for this franchise.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting realdealbneal:</div><div class="quote_post">How did I contradict myself? First off, I <u>never said</u> he was faking it. Secondly, I didn't say he was completely healed up last year, but he would've been able to play. So, both of you are wrong about me contradicting myself. I simply stated that he was still hurt, just not as serious last year to where he couldn't play. He wasn't trying to fake hurt last year, he just realized how much of a risk it was on his contract and his future with the Magic or for any other team.</div> Well acutally he had planned a return for febuary last season after his ankle started hurting, but after being TOLD to by the team he desided that he would wait till next season to give his ankle the best chance possible to improve and for him to come back and have a good season. He also realised that it helped the team knowing that he wasnt gona come back because it gave them a out look on what was avaliable to them each night. With grant hill possibly playing for the team one night and not the next you never new what to expect as the coach or what plays to plan to run. Also by him not coming back it gave the magic a chance to make a run at possible getting some cash from the nba for having a player with hills size contract on injury reserve for so long. Though the nba did turn down the magic request for the money. Anyway I think you make great points on alot of issues you argue I just dont agree with this one.
if grant resigns with magic in the nxt couple a seasons, i wudn't be surprised if he agrees to a small contract. he has always been one of the "nice guys" in the nba and has always shown respect to every and anyone that deserved it. he owes alot to the magic, not for his career, but for standing by him in the last 4 seasons, and chances are he'll repay them back taking little money from them, assuming he's healthy and back to superstar status.
