Orlando Magic B-Ball

Orlando Magic B-Ball

Hill key for Magic

Grant Hill presented gift watches to all of the players, coaches and front-office staff members of the Orlando Magic at the team's end-of-season meeting Thursday.

And like clockwork, the question of whether time has passed the injury-plagued forward by resurfaced going into another summer.

Hill has now missed 357 games, the equivalent of more than four full seasons, since coming to the Magic in 2000. He played in none of their last 21 games, meaning he was no factor in their 16-6 finish -- which, impressive as it was, left the Magic with no better than the record they had one year ago (36-46).

Assistant general manager Otis Smith said Hill, who turns 34 in October and is entering the final year of his $93 million contract, needs to spend three months strengthening his core abdominal muscles in a rehabilitation program before he can play again. It has yet to be determined when the program will begin or who will supervise him, although Alex McKechnie -- who worked with Tracy McGrady during a Magic playoff appearance several years ago -- is a strong possibility.

The Magic seem committed to keeping Hill, in part because their only other small forwards are Hedo Turkoglu, Trevor Ariza -- who will become a restricted free agent July 1 -- and soon-to-be 38-year-old Stacey Augmon.

"When he's on the floor, he's still one of the best players there," Smith said. "It's like having a Cadillac in the garage, but I'm going to drive the Yugo instead."

Hill, who left the RDV Sportsplex before reporters could speak to him, had surgery for a sports hernia in late October. He started in nine straight games after returning in mid-December before coming down with a strained groin, and he played in no more than four consecutive games the rest of the season.

"He's had so many ups and downs the last five years," Smith said. "So I expect him to go up, go down, back up and come full circle."

"Knowing Grant and the type of work he puts into everything, I think he'll be ready to go," coach Brian Hill said. "Hopefully he'll be ready to go by the start of training camp. And I certainly look forward to having him with us next year. I think he could be a key, key component to us being an improved team next year."

The six-time all-star remained visible on the Magic's bench the past six weeks, even if it was only in street clothes, and was frequently cited by Smith for his leadership behind the scenes.

"For us, Grant, playing or not playing, has a role on this team," Smith said.

"A lot of guys who are stars, when they get hurt and they're out for the season, they disappear and they're not around," forward Pat Garrity said. "And he was always around. He was always at practice. He was always offering encouragement to guys."

Despite losses this week to Chicago and Indiana, the way in which the Magic finished their season was an encouraging sign. They came within a game of tying the longest winning streak in franchise history, and the trades they made with Detroit and New York in February helped rejuvenate a team that had been going nowhere fast.

"Finally we have character guys that care about winning, care about doing the little things," Smith said.

But further attention needs to be paid to some details before next season. The Magic had the sixth-highest total of turnovers of any team in the league, and Dwight Howard made only 59.5 percent of his free throws in an otherwise stellar second season for him.

"Nobody likes to go home early," guard Jameer Nelson said. "I know I don't. I would love to be in the playoffs right now playing any team anywhere."

posted by: orlablog at 15:47 | link | comments |