Funny how time flies. With word coming down that Grant Hill had agreed to sign with the Suns (2 years, about $2 million per), we realized it wasn’t that long ago when Grant signed the monster deal with Orlando and was supposed to make noise in the East with T-Mac. Remember, Grant put up 25, 6 and 5 in his last year with Detroit. He would have gone down as an all-time great if the ankles hadn’t failed on him. Seven years later, he’s making close to the veteran minimum and trying to latch on with a team for a run at a title before he’s done. Is Grant going to pull Jalen Rose-like PT in Phoenix? Probably not. But is he gonna play the 30 minutes a night he did with Orlando this past year? Probably not, unless he forces his way into Mike D’Antoni’s run-you-ragged super-thin rotation … Good deal for the Suns? Absolutely. Between Grant’s basketball IQ and Steve Nash’s passing ability, he’ll get a ton of open layups. Obviously Hill can still play (14.4 ppg this year); he’ll give Phoenix another ball-handler, smart passer and guy who won’t rock the boat ’cause his only goal is to win a ring. Plus, he’s coming to them super-cheap … The Sonics hired P.J. Carlesimo as their coach. With the team going young, we figured they’d go with Dwane Casey, who’s known more as a player’s coach — he was one of the guys who took Rashard Lewis under his wing when Rashard was coming out of high school and Casey was an assistant with Seattle. Plus, with Carlesimo coming over from San Antonio, we figured he was only in the running in case the Sonics got Greg Oden and wanted to install a Spurs-like system with Oden playing the Tim Duncan role. That said, Carlesimo is a great coach and a good hire … Earlier this week it had been reported that the Grizzlies and Bulls have been talking about a Pau Gasol trade that could involve Andres Nocioni, Joakim Noah and Chris Duhon. Chicago GM John Paxson told the Chicago Sun-Times that those rumors were “a complete fabrication,” adding “I have not had one conversation concerning Gasol.” Either way, the Grizzlies are definitely interested in Nocioni. GM Chris Wallace flew to Argentina to court Noce, and Gasol has reportedly called Noce to convince him to come on over … Remember Juan Carlos Navarro? The Wizards drafted him a few years back, and he was a starter on Spain’s World Championship team last summer. Now he’s about to come to the League, and while the Wizards still have his rights, the Washington Post says six or seven teams have called looking to get Navarro in a trade. One rumored deal? Navarro to Miami for James Posey … Should the U of Texas retire Kevin Durant’s jersey? Athletic director DeLoss Dodds told the Dallas Morning News it hasn’t been talked about officially, but KD does fit the criteria since he won National Player of the Year and it probably will happen before long. Think about all the athletes who have suited up at UT. The only ones with their numbers retired are Earl Campbell, Roger Clemens, Ricky Williams and T.J. Ford. Not even Vince Young made the list. Shows you just how incredible KD’s freshman year was … We’re out like Gasol in red …
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July 6th, 2007 at 2:16 am
von john says:
Ok if tj ford’s ( who i know did some great things with alot more talent around him) number is in the rafters why not durant on just a basketball standard not comparing him to all the other atheletes from UT he deserves it
July 6th, 2007 at 3:46 am
George C says:
Why don’t idiots know where, or how, to place periods or commas?!
July 6th, 2007 at 6:32 am
marketing online says:
because they are idiots…
July 6th, 2007 at 9:14 am
Celts Fan says:
Let’s be real, Vince Young’s is only not up there because he was busy all of last year. First Texas home game that corresponds w/ a Titans bye week, that number’s going up…
July 6th, 2007 at 10:02 am
Jim says:
Barnes confirmed in the Statesman (local paper) yesterday that KD’s number was going up. And as for the guy implying TJ is less deserving of getting his jersey retired than KD…what did KD do here for the team? Great pub, obviously more talented guy, but they lost in the 2nd round and never were actually considered contenders.
Those TJ teams were always top 10 and his Soph. year they were #2 or 3 all year, won Big-12, and made it to Texas’ first Final Four in 50 years. More importantly, TJ put Texas on the map as a real choice for elite recruits. Unless you are 12 or have a Chris Mihm poster on your wall you should know Texas was not always spitting out lottery players before TJ came here…
Not hating on KD, just on you.
July 6th, 2007 at 11:02 am
Omar says:
Hello?? Bob Presti former San Atonio executive. Makes the PJ hire a no brainer. Who writes these articles??
July 6th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Buck says:
KD35’s number is being retired because he is the only freshman EVER, to win Player of the Year. That’s history folks, and that’s why it’s going in the rafters.
July 6th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Austin says:
It’s Sam Presti, and word is he and PJ weren’t exactly the best of friends in San Antonio. So no, it’s wasn’t a no-brainer.
July 6th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Bust Jlaze says:
I want Grant Hill to get a ring…he deserves a good shot at one, anyway…but can the SUNS get him one?? They STILL have no real DEFENSE besides Raja Bell…I don’t see them coming out of the West without a major defensive injection.
July 6th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
Celts Fan says:
The Suns CAN get him one, but I don’t think they will. That style of basketball’s great in the regular season, but I still don’t think they can beat SA or Dallas in a 7 game series playing like that and Steve Nash is still every bit as bad of a defender as he is great of an offensive player. He could legitimately be the worst defender in the entire league (because if anyone else was that bad and not as good offensively, they wouldn’t be in the NBA…)
July 9th, 2007 at 5:16 am
christian says:
Hill is a loser. Yes, I’m an Orlando fan. He won’t get a ring. The suns won’t get past the Spurs, wherever they may meet in the playoffs. Mind you, I acknowledge that they are a bomb squad team, however, they werent going to beat san anto. Hill is a leach and only made the all-star team a couple of years back out of sympathy. The fact that he left the magic like that I think is wrong considering we arent going to get anything out of the deal. I dont think he’s that great so i am not bitter about him leaving, he just could have given us something out of the 90 mil. contract that he licked up down here while luxuriously rollin in an ambulance most of the time.