Back when the Suns signed him in July of 2007, many believed that the best days for Grant Hill were behind him. Hill was 34 years old at the time and had missed 292 games in six seasons in Orlando with the Magic.
Those critics of the former Duke Blue Devil during the summer of 2007 have been proven with Hill’s last four seasons in Phoenix. With one of the best training staffs in all of sports, Hill’s career has been rejuvenated since putting on a Suns uniform. In his first season in Phoenix, he missed 12 games, but the forward has missed only three since that point.
Along with Steve Nash, you could easily argue that Hill has been the Suns best player the last four seasons. Despite his advanced at age, the now 39-year-old has been Phoenix’s best defender guarding the opposing team’s best player on most nights. Hill has also been a very effective player on the offensive end, averaging his best point total last season in his four years in the Valley.
Just like two years ago, Hill is once again a free agent, meaning he is allowed to go to any team across the league. Back in 2009, Hill had an offer from the New York Knicks for the mid-level exception to join his former head coach Mike D’Antoni. He also had a deal from the Boston Celtics, whom Hill could have helped win another championship. Hill decided to stay in Phoenix though and signed a two-year deal with the Suns.
Two years later, D’Antoni and the Knicks remain interested in bringing Hill to the Big Apple. This time around though, New York is dramatically improved with Amar’e Stoudemire and the addition of Carmelo Anthony at the end of last season. The Chicago Bulls have stepped into the Celtics shoes as a title contender looking to add Hill as the final piece to a possible Finals run.
The Los Angeles Clippers are said to be looking at Hill as well, but it would be hard to see the veteran going there because the Clips are no where close to winning a title any time soon. I hate to break the news to you, Clippers fans.
Despite great teams like the Knicks and Bulls showing a lot of interest in Hill, the Suns should remain the favorites for his services for many reasons. Hill’s home is in the Valley and his two young children go to school here as well. It would be tough for a family man like Hill to uproot his family somewhere else for probably only one season when they seem so comfortable in Arizona.
Phoenix’s training staff is another advantage that the Suns have well. If it weren’t for them, Hill wouldn’t be playing at the level that he is playing at currently and he might not be playing at all. Could New York’s or Chicago’s training staffs do the same for Hill? That is hard to say.
The biggest reason why the Suns should remain the favorite for Hill is that he loves playing here and is comfortable in a Suns uniform. Hill has voiced that a number of times. He also loves playing with Steve Nash and the rest of his teammates. Plus, he knows how important he is to the success of this team on both the offensive and defensive ends.
Of course, Hill could shock everyone and go to either New York or Chicago to win that ever elusive first championship, but he had the exact same situation two years and decided to stay in Phoenix. Look for Hill to do the same this time around and be the Suns starter at small forward when the season gets under way on Dec. 26.
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