Hill stays where he can shine

Grant Hill has decided to remain in Phoenix rather than attempt a championship run with the Celtics.

The Suns re-signed Hill to a two-year, $6.2 million deal yesterday with a player’s option on the second season, worth $3.24 million. The Celtics could only offer a $1.9 million biannual exception. Hill also considered the Knicks’ one-year, $5 million offer.

Hill’s agent, Lon Babby, told Celtics president Danny Ainge about his client’s decision yesterday morning.

“I’m not surprised,’’ Ainge said. “He likes Phoenix. He has good relationships there. I’m not surprised at all. He had good options. We wish him well.’’

Hill was courted by Ainge, Celtics guard Ray Allen, and coach Doc Rivers, who coached him in Orlando.

The Suns, who won 46 games last season but didn’t make the playoffs, also offered Hill a starting position, which the Celtics couldn’t. Hill averaged 12 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists last season, his second with Phoenix.

“Grant decided to stay in Phoenix largely because he feels he has unfinished business there,’’ said Babby. “The Suns placed their faith in him two years ago. While Grant has played well in Phoenix, and indeed played in all 82 games last year, he didn’t want to leave Phoenix on a sour note.’’

When asked about Hill turning down a possible title run with the Celtics, Babby said: “I’m not going to talk about why he’s not going to go to a place. Obviously, the opportunity to play for a team that recently won a championship and will be in the hunt next year was a strong, very, very strong consideration to go to Boston.’’

Ainge wouldn’t divulge other potential candidates for the $1.9 biannual exception.

“We have our sights set on other players, but I won’t share them,’’ Ainge said. “Things are possible. There are people we are talking to. But nothing I want to talk about publicly.’’

Ainge, however, did say the Celtics are interested in retaining restricted free agent forward Glen Davis.

“We still have a handful of teams that are interested and we are in no hurry,’’ said Davis’s agent, John Hamilton. “We will let the process work itself out.’’

Pruitt showing polish

Gabe Pruitt got his important offseason off to a productive start this week in Orlando, averaging 10.2 points and 4.8 assists for the Celtics’ summer league team. He wrapped up the tournament yesterday with 13 points and nine assists in a 92-79 win over the New Jersey/Philadelphia entry.

“The main thing I needed to do was be consistent and this was a good chance to showcase that,’’ Pruitt said. “Early in the week we had a lot of turnovers in a couple games and I take that personally, me being a point guard and handling the ball. So, I tried to take care of the ball better. But I had a chance to really play the point and show what I can do.’

“He shot well, he did a good job getting into the paint and taking care of the ball,’’ said Celtics assistant coach Mike Longabardi. “Russell Westbrook [of the Thunder] was definitely the best point guard here, but you can make an argument Gabe was the next guy. He’s just got to continue to work, continue to stay ready, and we’ll see what happens.

“He’s been in the league two years now, he’s played in NBA games . . . After Year 1 coming into Year 2, I thought his body improved. He really did a good job with that.’’

Pruitt plans to return to San Francisco to continue his conditioning at a training center.

“It gets you really prepared physically and mentally,’’ he said. “You have a whole different mind-set when you come into training camp and that’s really good for me. I came into training camp and I was in game shape last year.’’

Pruitt thrived on the challenge of playing in the summer league.

“Going up against Westbrook in college and growing up in LA, it’s a rivalry in itself,’’ Pruitt said. “I thought it was a good matchup. Early in the week I kind of felt like I needed to get my wind back but as I played my wind was good, I felt like I could play the whole game, I wasn’t tired at all. I felt pretty good about that.

“It’s good competition for me, I feel like I’m in a perfect spot, playing against [Rajon] Rondo every day in practice. I feel like I can learn a lot.’’

That’s a wrap

The Celtics finished with a 2-3 record in Orlando. Nick Fazekas led the team in scoring (13.4) and rebounding (6.2). J.R. Giddens averaged 11.8 points and 4.2 rebounds and was named to the league’s All-Star second team . . . Chris Lofton broke the league record for 3-pointers, hitting 15 on 25 attempts over five games. The old 3-point mark was 12, held by Keith Bogans (2003) and Josh Davis (’07). “It doesn’t really matter in summer league,’’ said Lofton, who shot 17 of 22 from 3-point range in a 61-point performance in Turkey last season. “I shot pretty good but there’s always room for improvement.’’ Said Longabardi: “He looked like Eddie [ House] out there tonight.’’ 

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Blake Griffin goes to summer school

First, some housekeeping duties were in order for the youthful Clippers before they mobilized for the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, and their first game Monday against the Lakers.

There was the matter of gathering for their first practice Friday, at the team's facility in Playa Vista, a chance for a full session under the direction of Coach Mike Dunleavy and summer league head coach Kim Hughes

Not that prized No. 1 overall draft pick Blake Griffin needed to get acquainted. The Clippers might as well give him the keys to the place and let him turn on the lights.

So Griffin wasn't kidding when he said in New York at the NBA draft that he couldn't wait to get to work. He has been spending so much time at the Playa Vista facility, two-a-days nearly every day, Griffin could practically establish living quarters there.

That's a stretch . . . but not much of one.

He did take time to lease a place in the area, surviving L.A. sticker shock.

"It's about what I expected," Griffin said. "I don't think my apartment in college cost this much. You get what you pay for, I guess."

And in that regard, the Clippers are pleased with what they are seeing from him. They haven't seen a rookie, much less a highly touted one, work so hard so early.

To that end, his shot, which had been shaky in his workout for the team and the gathered national media during the NBA Finals, has improved.

"That's something we've been working on, shooting on the way up for my jumper, and really extending that every time and finishing as I'm going up," Griffin said. "I feel I'm shooting a lot better than I did in the workout. I've just got to keep working on it.

"It feels really good. I've had a lot of great shooting days since I've been out here, just on different drills. I just want to keep progressing."

Dunleavy agreed that Griffin's shot looked better, and smoother than last month. Dunleavy was asked what he expected of Griffin in the Summer League games.

"The areas that we'll be looking to see where he is at right now is defensively," Dunleavy said. "How many positions can he guard? I've been really impressed with his ballhandling and passing. That skill level is very high for a power forward, to the point where at times I've said, 'Wow can he play some small forward,' with his ability to put the ball on the floor and make passes."

Griffin will be joined in Las Vegas by the three Clippers rookies from last season, Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan and Mike Taylor. The Clippers play five games in the Summer League, and of special note for Griffin will be the one against Memphis and No. 2 pick Hasheem Thabeet on Thursday, and against the Suns and his older brother and Oklahoma teammate Taylor Griffin on July 19.

Separately, there was progress on the trade front. The Grizzlies, as expected, waived Jerry Stackhouse one day after their involvement in a four-team, eight-player trade. That means the Clippers' deal with Memphis, which sent Zach Randolph to the Grizzlies for Quentin Richardson, will be official in a week.

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Varejao happy to be sticking with Cavaliers

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — Even when he opted to become a free agent, Anderson Varejao thought his best option was to remain a Cleveland Cavalier.

Less than a month after declining an option year on his contract, Varejao signed a six-year deal that could pay him $50 million with incentives, but averages closer to $7 million annually. It's a raise over the $6.2 million he was set to earn under the previous deal, but also leaves the Cavaliers with financial flexibility in the years ahead.

Negotiations moved much swifter than two years ago, when Varejao missed the season's first month while negotiating a new contract.

"Our priority was Cleveland," Varejao said. "I know we had some other teams (interested), but I wanted to come back. I believe we have a great organization, a great team and we have a chance to win a championship."

The hustling Varejao became an intricate part of a Cavaliers team that won a league-high 66 games during the regular season. The Brazilian replaced Ben Wallace in the starting lineup in February, posting career-highs in starts (42), scoring (8.6), field-goal percentage (.536) and minutes (28.5) per game. He also averaged 7.2 rebounds.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: LeBron James | Shaquille O'Neal | Cleveland Cavaliers | Orlando Magic | Dwight Howard | Mike Brown | Ben Wallace | Anderson Varejao | Danny Ferry

Wallace was traded to Phoenix last month as part of the deal that brought superstar center Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland, giving the Cavaliers the physical post presence they lacked this spring in losing to Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference finals. O'Neal will pair with Zydrunas Ilgauskas to give the Cavaliers two All-Star centers, plus Varejao, who also plays forward.

"I think we have three quality veterans in Z, Shaq and Andy," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "People may think Z and Shaq can't play together, but I feel like I have the luxury of playing any combination of the three at any time. I'm excited about that."

With O'Neal on board, Varejao should be able to spend the bulk of his time at forward, where his high energy and tenacity typically result in charges drawn -- he drew 52 offensive fouls last season -- and offensive rebounds.

"He's an elite defender who can guard multiple positions," Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry said. "His ability to defend is very unique. He has an ability to guard different people and play different coverages, like the pick and roll, that really makes him a special player for us as a team that wants to continue a strong defensive identity."

Varejao is not without limitations. He only takes about six shots a game and he averaged just 3.1 free throws per game last year.

"I have to learn how to read the game, improve my jump shot and finish around the basket," Varejao said. "Little bit of everything."

The signing of Varejao, 26, was important to Cleveland since he is the only center under contract beyond next year. Both O'Neal and Ilgauskas are entering the final year of their deals, while LeBron James could opt out of his contract after next season.

It leaves the Cavaliers with one more shot at a championship before the roster could receive another overhaul.

"Last season was great. We had a great season, but anything can happen during the playoffs," Varejao said. "Orlando played better than us. We have to give them credit. We have Shaq now, who is a winner. If we keep doing the things we did last year, we'll be OK."

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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LeBron's action again lacks grace

Somebody give LeBron James a shot of 5-hour humility. Since Cleveland's season ended against Orlando in the Eastern Conference finals, King James has acted less like LeBron and more like LeBaby.

In recent months, there have been nagging signs that for all James has accomplished, he still has some growing up to do. But this week, James outdid himself when he turned an innocent dunk at his basketball camp in Akron into a covert Navy SEALs operation.

On Monday night, a pair of videographers recorded Xavier's Jordan Crawford dunking on James during a pickup game. After James allegedly huddled with Nike executive Lynn Merritt, the tapes were confiscated.

Thou shalt not dunk on the King and live to YouTube about it. Predictably, Nike came to James' rescue and insisted the tapes were commandeered only because videotaping pickup games after hours is against policy. It has also been suggested that James, who recently underwent facial surgery and is probably not in game shape, would be more concerned about his conditioning level than the dunk.

They want us to believe this isn't about James' wounded pride, even though Ryan Miller -- one of the videographers who filmed the dunk -- told several media outlets he was informed earlier in the day by public-relations staffers that he could videotape the game. He also said the game was within the scheduled hours of the camp. Plus, the event's media policies don't mention anything about videotaping.

[+] Enlarge

AP Photo/Nati HarnikLeBron James, always conscious of his image, attended the Allen & Co.'s media summit in Idaho in the wake of Dunkgate.

James' people have refused to comment on Dunkgate, but James' ego is doing plenty of talking. Apparently, in the "King's Guide to Being a Prima Donna," not only is shaking hands after a defeat unnecessary, but granting a college kid the moment of a lifetime is out of the question.

James is one of the more image-conscious athletes out there, and I guess he forgot the golden rule: The cover-up always is worse than the actual crime. Now a dunk that no one has seen is legendary, and a kid no one knew last week is becoming a household name.

"My Facebook is blowing up," Crawford told ESPN's "First Take" on Thursday.

Being dunked on isn't a big deal, so James and Nike's scrambling can be interpreted only as absolutely childish.

Some of the greatest players in basketball history have been dunked on. Hakeem Olajuwon is still tasting gym shoe after Kevin Johnson gave him that baseline facial in 1994. Scottie Pippen's humiliating jam on Patrick Ewing in Game 6 of the Knicks-Bulls playoff series that same year is infamous.

And it's not like James has never been posterized. If you recall, Courtney Lee made James swallow leather a couple of times in the Eastern finals. Now I wonder if the King will call NBA commissioner David Stern and try to get those tapes erased.

I realize those dunks happened in official NBA games and were by other professionals, but for James to appear this thin-skinned is eye-opening. One of the things people appreciate about LeBron is that he doesn't seem to take himself that seriously. James drew rave reviews for those Nike ads in which he channeled his inner Eddie Murphy and played an array of silly characters that parodied his superstar status.

But lately, it seems as if James doesn't realize "King" is just a nickname and not an official title. He exposed himself as a sore loser against Orlando in the Eastern finals when he refused to speak to the media and didn't shake hands with the Magic after the Cavaliers were eliminated.

That episode would have been forgivable if James had apologized for his poor sportsmanship. Instead, he showed no remorse. To paraphrase him, he wasn't about to be gracious to anyone who had just kicked his tail.

Although it isn't like James has been all that gracious in victory, either. When the Cavaliers were whipping teams throughout the regular season and in the playoffs, James and his teammates were often shown pop-locking and doing the air guitar once they had retired to the bench. Maybe Crawford's dunk was karma.

I suppose none of this petty behavior should be surprising, considering James has been worshipped since puberty. When people have been kissing your crown for that long, it's only a matter of time before you become drunk on your own hype.

It doesn't speak favorably of James that Crawford, the kid who dunked on him, has handled himself more maturely than the self-proclaimed king. He didn't gloat or stare at James after the dunk. Though if the situation were reversed, Crawford probably would have been treated to at least one muscle flex and a fist to the chest.

"It's really not a big deal to me, to be honest with you," Crawford said on "First Take." "I'm so excited I got invited to the camp and got to play on the same court as LeBron. … I look up to him as a basketball player."

James is perhaps the most talented player in the NBA and more than deserving of the accolades and praise he receives, but he needs to remember the most appreciated kings are those who routinely exercise graciousness.

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Rasheed Wallace fan-friendly

By signing Rasheed Wallace, the Celtics [team stats] acquired a versatile big man with the ability to cause matchup problems for opponents, as well as a combustible big mouth with the ability to cause problems for officials.

Though liked by teammates and regarded as a team player, Wallace has enjoyed a less harmonious relationship with referees. The 14-year veteran has consistently been among NBA leaders in technical fouls, including a league-record 41 in 2000-01.

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Rebuilding Project May Interest Hill

Grant Hill visited New York this week. While Hill, the former N.B.A. All-Star, has always been intrigued by the city and always remembered how electric Madison Square Garden sounded when the Knicks were winning, he didn’t expect to be smitten by the Big Apple.

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Paul Connors/Associated Press

Grant Hill, right, could help the Knicks turn around if he isn’t lured to Boston or Phoenix.

By the end of his visit, Hill said the idea of being part of the Knicks’ renovation became so appealing that he was in a New York state of mind.
“The longer I was there, I found myself thinking, ‘I could do this,’ ” Hill said Wednesday from his home in Orlando, Fla. “The more I think about it, the more I like it.”
Hill has a few options. He can stay with the Phoenix Suns in comfort. He can chase a ring in Boston. Or he could come to New York, where the Knicks would be happy just to make the playoffs. Hill, 36, has never come close to winning an N.B.A. championship during a 15-year career. He’s never advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs. But our conversation was not saturated with his desire to chase a championship ring. Instead, he spoke of helping build something that would endure.
“I understand New York is a different animal,” Hill said. “But it’s intriguing for a number of reasons: the opportunity to play, the opportunity to play in New York, to help restore the credibility of the franchise.
“I’ve been through a whole lot. I’m certainly at the end, and part of me feels I would kick myself if I didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to play here.”
The first part of Hill’s basketball career was magical: three N.C.A.A. championship-game appearances with Duke; two titles. When Hill entered the N.B.A., he was wildly popular. He was the first rookie to lead the fans’ All-Star balloting and he became the first rookie in all major sports to get the most votes for an All-Star game. By the end of Hill’s first six seasons, only Oscar Robertsonand Larry Bird, in a similar period of time, had more points, rebounds and assists.
Although Hill has not experienced championship success as a professional, he has been one of the league’s most solid citizens.
The second part of Hill’s career — beginning with an ankle injury in 2000 — has been plagued by injuries. For a generation of young fans, injuries have defined Hill’s career. He sprained his left ankle before the 2000 playoffs, and the injury impeded him in various degrees for the next seven seasons. Hill went to Orlando in August 2000. He played in four games in his first season, 14 games the next and 29 in the third. Hill sat out the fourth.
There was a bizarre procedure in 2003 when doctors refractured his ankle and realigned it with his leg bone. Five days after the surgery, Hill was diagnosed as having a staph infection that doctors said could have killed him.
Almost miraculously, Hill played 67 games during the 2004-5 seasons and was voted to the All-Star team, but even that was hollow.
“I didn’t feel like an All-Star,” he said. “It just felt like a feel-good story.”
During the 2005-6 season, Hill had to fight through more injuries, including a sports hernia that required surgery. He played only 21 games. A year later he played 65 games despite knee injuries.
“When you get hurt you lose confidence in the medical profession, you lose confidence in your ability to stay healthy,” Hill said. “You also lose confidence in your game.”
In his last two seasons, Hill has showed flashes of All-Star form. This past season Hill played in all 82 regular-season games for the first time in his career and was a force down the stretch. He averaged 18 points a game in the last month of the season as the Suns made an unsuccessful bid for a playoff berth.
“It just let me know that I can still compete against Carmelo Anthony,” Hill said. “I can still compete against guys in my position.”
He recalled a couple of games in which he actually dunked on defenders.
“I’m running down the court thinking, ‘I haven’t done that in 10 years,’ ” he said.
Where will the last chapters of his basketball life unfold? Phoenix? Boston? New York?
You couldn’t blame Hill, who has two young children, if he decided to stay in Phoenix. But the Suns got Hill at a discount — $1.98 million each of the last two seasons — and will have to pay substantially better than that to get him back. The Knicks are said to be willing to pay Hill about $5 million for one year or $10 million for three years.
Playing for the Celtics will guarantee a chance at a championship, but Hill isn’t thrilled by the prospect of coming off the bench.
“I know going to Boston, it would be great winning and all that,” Hill said, “but I’ve missed so much basketball and missed so many years, I want to play. I want to get out there, lace ’em up and play.”
Hill also remembered his father, Calvin, telling him how he regretted not signing with the Giants when he left the World Football League. Instead, he signed with the Washington Redskins.
Grant Hill said he didn’t want to end his career wondering, “What if?”
For Hill, playing with the Knicks, being part of a renaissance, would constitute a championship.
Who knows where Hill’s journey will end? He and the Knicks appear to want the same things. The Knicks are desperate to restore credibility. Hill seems to cherish one last chance to be relevant again on a big stage.
It would be nice to see Hill in New York as part of a rebuilding project. At this juncture, nobody is looking for an N.B.A. championship in New York.
Just hope.

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Holiday's Transition to the NBA Game Has Begun

Patience is a virtue, and with a 19-year-old point guard trying to learn the Sixers’ offense, it is a virtue the club will have to exhibit indefinitely.

After four games (and four losses) in the Orlando Pro Summer League, Jrue Holiday, the Sixers’ first-round selection in this year’s draft, is experiencing the steep learning curve that comes with handling the ball at the NBA level. In 114 minutes on the floor, the 17th overall pick has made only 11 of 31 shots from the field to go along with an unsatisfactory assist-to-turnover ratio (11 assists, 14 turnovers). The statistical struggles suggest that the young point guard is still trying to figure out how to run the system.

“I really haven’t been that aggressive offensively until the last game,” Holiday said Thursday in a conference call from Orlando. “I was just trying to set up the offense and learn the do’s and don’ts from the coaches.”

Another factor contributing to Holiday’s passiveness is a lack of familiarity with his supporting cast. The Sixers’ summer team, which is combined with the Nets, is comprised of one-year veterans, free agent signees and rookies who have never played alongside one another.

“You know, we are playing with some new guys,” Holiday said. “We’re still feeling each other out. With Terrence Williams and Chris Douglas-Roberts on the floor, I would pass it instead of looking for my own shot. I was just trying to run the plays the coaches called during the game.”

After shooting 29 percent from the field in his first two games, it appears that Holiday is beginning to get the hang of things offensively. On Wednesday, the UCLA product dropped 12 points, burying both of his attempts from three-point range while hitting four out of four shots from the line. On Thursday, Holiday was 3-for-8 from the floor and added another three-pointer in an 83-62 loss to Oklahoma City.

“Shooting is most definitely something I have worked to improve,” Holiday said. “You have to be able to shoot as a point guard, just because you’re going to have guys like Andre Iguodala driving to the basket. My man’s going to collapse on him, and I have to knock down that open shot.”

One key facet to Holiday’s offensive game that has not necessarily been on display in Orlando is his knack for getting to the bucket.

“Holiday is very athletic,” said Pacers assistant coach Jay DeFruscio, who has now seen Holiday in both pre-draft workouts and summer league games. “He is a bigger guard. His athleticism, especially his ability to get to the basket and finish impressed me.”

Regardless of Holiday’s ability to score the basketball on a given night, he has consistently brought his D. The 6-4 floor general has notched seven steals and three blocked shots through Thursday and is fourth on the team in rebounding with 3.3 boards per game.

“Defense is just kind of in my DNA,” said Holiday. “I can have a sorry game on offense but still help the team on the defensive end of the floor, and most times good defense will trigger offense. It’s also important as a point guard to set the tone for your teammates defensively. If I’m really working defensively, they will too.”

Despite his production on the defensive end, it is evident Holiday still has plenty of work to do on his game. But it would be unreasonable to expect a teenager to show up for his first summer league with any clue about how to succeed in the NBA.

“I’m down here to be a student of the game,” he said. “There are a lot of things that I need to learn; there are a lot of things that are being taught, so it’s really just about taking everything in.”   

It is no coincidence that the most dominant players in Orlando are about to enter their second year in the league. Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City), Roy Hibbert (Indiana) and Ryan Anderson (Orlando) have clearly benefited from a year’s experience. Westbrook had 19 points and nine assists – both game highs – Thursday against the Sixers/Nets.

As for Holiday’s progress toward becoming a game-changing lead guard, only time will tell.

“It takes any player making the transition from the college game to the pro game some time to adjust to the talent level in the pro game,” said DeFruscio. “I think [Holiday] could be a good NBA guard, but it does not happen overnight.”

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