Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reports:
Grant Hill is concentrating on staying in shape, and he takes nothing for granted after ankle problems and a hernia cost him significant parts of four seasons. In his six seasons in Orlando (2000-07), Hill played just 200 games. He blamed the Magic for misdiagnosing an ankle injury and botching the initial surgery, and spent years trying to regain the form that made him one of the game’s best scorers. He never quite got back to that level, but Hill was able to reinvent himself.
“I think going through all that helped me really learn and understand how to take care of myself, just really being in tune with my body,’’ he said. “I feel like I wear down more mentally than I do physically. I went out to Phoenix thinking I’d play two years, and now it’s four going on five. I don’t want to put a number on it. I want to take it year by year, but I definitely have a lot left in the tank.’’
Depending on his price and desire to come off the bench, Hill could be a target of the Celtics. He has a strong relationship with Doc Rivers, who wanted Hill to sign with Boston before he opted for Phoenix. Perhaps if Hill had remained healthy, Rivers’s coaching stint in Orlando would have been more successful.
“He was great, still is, he’s a friend,’’ Hill said of Rivers. “He was so supportive. It’s woulda, coulda, shoulda, we might have done some pretty good things together but it didn’t happen. I think I’m a better person going through all of that. And he’s a better coach. I think he will tell you that. It’s prepared him probably even more so what he’s doing now in Boston. It hasn’t hurt the friendship or relationship, at least I don’t think so, but it was an unfortunate set of circumstances.’’
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