Grant Hill is telling new Clippers teammate Blake Griffin not to rush back from the medial meniscus tear he suffered in his knee over the summer, as Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes. Hill reflected on the surgeries that threatened his life and career, and said he'll spread the knowledge he's gained about preserving his body to his new teammates. “Blake’s a great kid, and I said, ‘Look man, take your time. If I learned anything, take your time,’ ” said Hill, who turns 40 on October 5th. “He wants to get back so fast. “I said, ‘I need you in June, I don’t need you in October.’ So he’s a great kid and got a great career ahead of him, and hopefully I can share a little about the highs and the lows and the things that I’ve gone though.’’
Washburn has more on Hill, and toward the end of his lengthy piece that rounds up news from the last week or so, he has a couple of noteworthy tidbits:
- Hill compared the Clippers' rivalry with the Lakers to the dynamic between Duke and North Carolina, and marveled at his own longevity. “To be turning 40 and having teams that are contenders trying to get me to play for them, it is humbling," he said. "It’s a great feeling and I’m glad that I am blessed and fortunate to continue to do it.”
- Washburn says Ben Wallace is looking for a new deal, but if he gets one, it's unlikely to come from the Pistons. Wallace has been waffling about his retirement this summer, and if he returns, it's been widely assumed he would do so with Detroit.
- Scouts were "spooked" by Yi Jianlian's up-and-down performance for China in the Olympics, Washburn hears. They believe the 7'0" free agent lacks a true position and isn't tough enough to play in the paint.