Knicks Dip into the MLE, should be favorites for Hill

by Tommy Dee on July 7th, 2009 at 6:48 am


Their courting is on the serious level, and we’ll know soon enough just how much Grant Hill is serious about playing in New York.

Because at the end of the day, the Knicks will offer the most money, and we’ll have to see if that is the overriding factor for the ex-Duke star.

“…We think we have a chance, but you never know,” a team source said last night. In a visit that blew Jason Kidd’s away, Hill arrived yesterday at the Garden at 11:30 a.m., got the arena tour and the jersey before being whisked to the Knicks’ practice facility in Westchester.

Last night, Hill, his agent Lon Babby, Walsh and D’Antoni headed out for dinner. The Knicks could blow the Celtics out of the water since Boston is using their $5.8 million mid-level exception on Rasheed Wallace and can offer Hill only the $1.9M lower exception.

With Kidd agreeing to terms with Dallas, the Knicks have their $5.8 million mid-level exception to use and can take half of it to top Boston on a one-year deal for Hill, who played 82 games last season, averaging 12 points and 5 rebounds.

“You want to have players who’ve had a lot of success before so they can show the other players how to do it,” Walsh told The Post. “That’s the kind of player we want to bring in…”

Walsh was sure to include Allan Houston in training camp last year for the same reason, but it was such a zoo that the impact of the idea went ignored. Fans really don’t quite fathom how much of a disaster the people Isiah brought into this organization were when they were all in a room together.

Thankfully, that is in the rearview mirror.

Again, the idea that Hill would get minutes at the 2 is good in theory, but he’s a slashing mid-range player. He’s not coming here to play out of position, not when he can go and back up Paul Pierce.

The only thing that makes sense to me about this signing, other than the locker room thing, is that it makes it easier to trade a small forward.

They’re not bringing Hill in to just be a locker room attendant. The guy can still play.
  • Jeff Cykiert

    If we offer him a 1-year deal he will end up in Phoenix… write it down.

    Let’s get him, you can never have enough smart point-forwards. In this system IQ is just as important of a tool as your physical skills and your shot.

  • harlem heat

    That would be pointless!! I respect hill but he is not a step forward we need to get younger & more talented. The only older player that makes sense for us is t mac not only because of skill level but because he is a 1 year guy who we can trade curry & huges for,& if we have money for grant hill then we have money for sessions!!!

  • gbaked

    “if we have money for grant hill then we have money for sessions!!!”

    /fail

  • joetheknick

    Bringing in Grant Hill makes sense only if the plan is to move Al Harrington. Chandler may work at the 2 and 3. Gallinari is a 3. Grant Hill is a point forward 3 who can defend at the 1,2 or 3. Not bad pick up to help with passing and defense. Your thoughts

  • harlem heat

    I don’t want to turn this in to a bash grant hill moment so while I respect him as a player my point is money that there trying 2 spend on hill should be spent on sessions who is young a pure PG & has the skill sets MD wants at the PG spot. I see no point in slowing the growth of our young players to sign an old one who is just about done.

  • Cammydog0123

    http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=mpga7h

    I thought of a trade so great donnie walsh wont think of it. The knicks want cap space. the rockets need a pg and a big center and dont want t mac. the bulls dont want hinrich cuz of derrick rose. heres a perfect 3 way team trade that works for every team and improves every team. SHOW THIS TO EVERY SO THIS CAN GET AROUND.

  • gbaked

    sessions can at most get the MidL from us… what is it 5.6mil?

    The bucks can match that and go higher, which by all accounts they are planning to do.

    The 2-4 mil with hill is not the same thing.

    odds are, even if we offer all we can to sessions, the bucks will match it.