NBA to Magic: No Exemption For Grant Hill
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ORLANDO -- The NBA denied the Orlando Magic salary cap relief for the injured
and expensive Grant Hill.
The Magic confirmed the news Tuesday, less than a day before teams can start
signing free agents. The medical exemption would've been worth about $4.9
million -- approximately one-third of the $13.3 million due to Hill next
season.
"We were surprised and disappointed by the league's decision," said John
Weisbrod, the Magic's chief operating officer. "Nonetheless, we must abide by
it and we will not let it deter our efforts to build the best basketball team
possible."
Orlando still has the $4.9 million mid-level exemption. The Magic is expected
to use it to help sign free agent forward Juwan Howard to a contract worth at
least $28 million over five years.
Considering the medical history of Hill, limited to 47 games the past three
seasons, it was seen as certain that the NBA would grant the exemption.
Tim Frank, NBA senior director of basketball communications, said the league
would not offer comment on rulings about medical exceptions. "We don't really
detail the reasons of why or why not teams get the exception," Frank told the
Florida Today newspaper in Melbourne.
Hill sustained a stress fracture to his left ankle during the 2000 playoffs
while playing for Detroit. The Magic still signed him to a $93-million,
seven-year contract that offseason.
Since that injury, he's had four operations. The last, on March 18, was the
most complex. Doctors had to break his heel to better align the ankle. Hill's
foot became infected during the recovery, resulting in a weeklong hospital
stay.
Because Hill is just now beginning to put weight on his foot again, the Magic
feel there is no realistic way that he can play.
"It will be very difficult for Grant to play this season," Magic coach Doc
Rivers said last month. "You know Grant's going to do everything he can to
make it back, but it really is unrealistic for him to play next year. And
that's really too bad."
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