Grant Hill won't opt out

[Griffin]

Grant Hill said yesterday that he will not opt out of his contract and that he wants to retire as a Sun:

Suns forward Grant Hill(notes) tells AOL FanHouse that he will not opt out of his contract after the season and will try to keep playing until he’s 40.

"I don’t plan on opting out," Hill said before Game 3 of the Suns’ playoff series with the Spurs. "Even after this [contract], if I can still play and still play at this level, I still want to be here. I want to retire as a Sun. … I don’t have any interest in moving.

"I’d like to prove that I can play until I’m 40. That would be nice. But I’m not going to play if I can’t play at a level that I expect. Obviously, I’m not what I was 10 years ago. But I can still contribute and not be a liability. If I’m a liability, it’s time to move away, and I’ll move away. But, if I’ve still got it physically and I still have it up here, mentally and emotionally and I have that desire, yeah, I’ll play another two or three years."

Hill has a $3.24 million player option for 2010-11. FanHouse reports. He averaged 11.3 points and 30.0 minutes in 81 games for Phoenix this season.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Al0pSPwsuudEowVDHLgmHGe8vLYF?slug=tsn-granthillwantstostay

Hill has been the unsung hero of this playoff series. He put in another 18 points yesterday on 7-11 shooting and was able to keep our offense going when we were shooting poorly. That's in addition to his great defense and solid rebounding. I don't think we'd be in the position we are in now without Hill.

 

[HooverDam]

Sounds good to me, the Suns can use him as long as he keeps up this level!

 

[Quagmire]

Hill will hold down the SF position until Clark is ready. Using the Lopez and Dragic model, Clark will be contributing big minutes by mid-season and will bring another level of athleticism to both sides of the ball.

 

[overseascardfan]

Hill will hold down the SF position until Clark is ready. Using the Lopez and Dragic model, Clark will be contributing big minutes by mid-season and will bring another level of athleticism to both sides of the ball.

Clark needs to refine his game, he needs to develop his ball handling and improve his shooting range in order to play the 3 or get stronger in order to play the 4 and find a go to move to play the post.

 

[shazaam6]

Grant Hill is tough. Glad to hear he wants to retire a Suns player.

 

[Mainstreet]

This is great news about Hill.

 

[dodie53]

will Hill come off the bench next season?

 

[hsandhu]

Clark needs to refine his game, he needs to develop his ball handling and improve his shooting range in order to play the 3 or get stronger in order to play the 4 and find a go to move to play the post.

One of the good parts of clark's game already is his ball handling for a guy his size.

 

[devilalum]

will Hill come off the bench next season?

I'd bet anything that Hill could care less.

Can't say that about everybody.

 

[Chaplin]

will Hill come off the bench next season?

Doesn't matter. He's going to start next season. Earl Clark is far from ready to be a starter on an NBA team.

 

[leclerc]

I want Hill and Nash to retire as Suns players!

Clark may be further ahead than we know...

 

[jagu]

Clark needs to shoot better. I like when he drives though.

 

[Billy Bob]

Hill will be one of those guys that stays a Sun forever, when he retires he will get an office gig.

 

[Mainstreet]

I want Hill and Nash to retire as Suns players!

I totally agree. They are class players who should eventually be in the Suns Ring of Honor and the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Clark may be further ahead than we know...

Clark has all the tools to be a good SF, however, he needs to put on muscle to be effective inside. He's just too soft right now. I'm hoping he can get stronger.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Clark has all the tools to be a good SF, however, he needs to put on muscle to be effective inside. He's just too soft right now. I'm hoping he can get stronger.

He is too soft but his athleticism and skills lend more to a SF than PF IMO. He's too soft to play outside also but much of that softness is between the ears. He was very inconsistent in college and there were always rumors about him being uncoachable. IIRC, his lack of consistency and effort got under Pitino's skin a few times. I just don't know if he wants this bad enough to ever become more than a novelty. I hope he does but history and his first year leave me very unimpressed.

Steve

 

[AfroSuns]

maybe Earl should be our secret weapon in game 4

 

[AzStevenCal]

maybe Earl should be our secret weapon in game 4

Real secret. Totally secret. So secret we don't even know he exists.

Steve