September 21, 2006

The Curse of the Orlando Magic : "I don't have any pain." -- Grant Hill, who begins the final year of his seven-year, $93 million contract when the Orlando Magic begin training camp in Jacksonville. Injuries have kept Hill out of 73 percent of the team's games.

read story | posted by rcade to Basketball at 11:16 AM CDT (18 comments total)

I swear, it seems like every year, before the season starts, there's talk about how Grant Hill is coming back, ready to shake off the injury that slowed him down last season. And then every year, around Christmas, he's injured and done for the season.

It just has that SNL skit feel to it..

posted by blarp at 12:17 PM CDT on September 21

Him and T-Mac where supposed to take this team to the next level. Well, I think we all know how that has worked out.

posted by kidrayter2005 at 2:44 PM CDT on September 21

When he joins the Magic for the opening of training camp Oct. 3 in Jacksonville, he will begin the final year of his seven-year, $92.88 million contract.

Wow, he has really stolen a lot of money.

posted by bperk at 3:28 PM CDT on September 21

73%???? Are they sure? It seems more like 85-90%.......... I feel bad for the guy, the team, and the fans - if there are any fans left.....

posted by Sportsfan0535 at 3:51 PM CDT on September 21

i think they only have 1 or at most 2 guys from the tmac trade

posted by Barry-from-H-town at 4:50 PM CDT on September 21

I would be willing to bet that if he actually makes it through the season healthy, he will retire. I had a pretty bad ankle injury my Junior year of high school and the pain wasn't half as bad as the physical therapy. I can't imagine going through that for 7 straight years. I guess the 92.88 mil takes a little of the sting out of it.

posted by LaKeR4LiFe at 6:23 PM CDT on September 21

Wow, he has really stolen a lot of money.

My sense is that he would trade a lot of it back if he could have had an injury-free career.

posted by smithers at 7:06 PM CDT on September 21

I agree with Smithers, it bothers me that some people think that Hill is running around giggling to himself about how he jacked the Magic for all of that loot. Hill is a stand up guy with a strong work ethic who would want nothing more than to be able to play the game that he loves without injuries and earn the money that he is being paid. I don't feel sorry for the guy at all (people who are handsome, talented, rich, and married to a hottie receives no sympathy from me) but I do understand how frustrating his ordeal has been for him.

posted by mcgriff67 at 7:32 AM CDT on September 22

As a Magic fan who was rooting for them back when Scott Skyles was our "star", I have never harbored any ill will to Hill or felt he was "stealing". Hill has consistently worked hard to be on the court, it just hasn't been in the cards.

Frankly, T-Mac was alot worse when he was wearing the stripes. He had a tendency to pout on-court in playoff games or games that could get us there.

The only real killer to the Hill deal is the guys we traded to get him... Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups... Just salary cap throw-ins at the time.

posted by LostInDaJungle at 11:21 AM CDT on September 22

The Magic have finally gotten to a point where they've recovered from signing Hill and getting so little in return. They are on the cusp of being a strong playoff team.

I think that if Hill can contribute to that this season, it'll be a nice way to exorcise the curse.

It's not his fault he's so injury prone, and he's a great clubhouse guy and civic participant in Orlando. He could probably move straight from the bench to the front office, if he has coaching or GM aspirations.

posted by rcade at 11:26 AM CDT on September 22

The Magic, their biggest mistake was giving Penny Hardaway $55 million bonus when he had not won a playoff game after only one season, and then letting Shaq go to the Lakers. They've had their problems for a very long time and how J.J. Riddick work with the madness going on in Orlando?

posted by Crickette at 11:26 AM CDT on September 22

Frankly, T-Mac was alot worse when he was wearing the stripes. He had a tendency to pout on-court in playoff games or games that could get us there.

Give me a break. Just because you didn't like T-Mac's attitude does not equate to him being worse than Hill. Kudos to Hill for fashioning an image that makes people ignore how he has handcuffed the franchise with his ridiculous contract. Yeah, it sucks for him that he has been injured but it sucks a hundred time worse for the franchise and the fans.

posted by bperk at 11:27 AM CDT on September 22

Actually, it was Chucky Atkins involved in the Hill/Wallace trade, not Billups.

posted by hootch at 1:50 PM CDT on September 22

The Bullets (still refuse to call them the Wizards) have worse luck. They have gotten rid of Chris Webber, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Rip Hamilton and several other competent players and have nothing to show for any of the trades. By far worst management in the history of the NBA. Abe Pollin has bought nothing but shame.

posted by urall cloolis at 9:17 PM CDT on September 22

Wow... I love it the way says that he is sooo "unlucky". He hasn't done anything, and gets paid more than 99.5% of Americans. Just because your a mess dosen't mean we have to feel sorry for him- at least I don't. Teams are ignorant for signing bloated long term guaranteed contracts anyway. I have always been a believer in incentive laden contracts, since you simply cannot go wrong- the player performs, you pay him. This whole situation reminds me of Carl Pavano, but at least Grant had some good games last season.

posted by Kendall at 9:29 PM CDT on September 22

Injuries have kept Hill out of 73 percent of the team's games.
If this guy was in the real world do you think he could miss 73% of his working obligation and still be paid $93 for 7 years? Get a job, Grant.

posted by joromu at 10:22 AM CDT on September 23

jojomu, if the injuries were job-related he could--you can't fire someone who's out on worker's comp. And, as Kendall points out, the owner signed the contract too.

posted by billsaysthis at 12:58 AM CDT on September 24

i think detroit dumped hill just in the nick of time

posted by texasred at 5:20 AM CDT on September 25

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