What was the reason that the Pistons traded Prime Grant Hill in 2000 at 27 years old?

[JordansBulls]

August 3, 2000: Traded by the Detroit Pistons to the Orlando Magic for Chucky Atkins and Ben Wallace.

Season

Rk Player     From  To   G   GS MP   FG  FGA   FG% 3P 3PA  3P%  FT  FTA  FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF  PTS 
1  Grant Hill 1995 2000 435 434 39.1 7.8 16.4 .476 0.1 0.5 .256 5.9 7.9 .746 1.4 6.4 7.9 6.3 1.6 0.6 3.3 2.6 21.6 

Rk Player     From To    G     MP PER   TS%  eFG% ORB% DRB% TRB% AST% STL% BLK% TOV% USG% ORtg DRtg OWS  DWS  WS   WS/48 
1  Grant Hill 1995 2000 435 17007 22.4 .544 .480  4.5  19.5 12.1 30.4 2.2  1.3  14.2 27.6 110  103  36.2 23.8 60.0 0.169

Playoffs

Rk Player     From  To  G   MP FG  FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA ORB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS FG%  3P%   FT%  MP  PTS  TRB AST 
1  Grant Hill 1996 2000 15 549 115 250 2   5  62 79  24  103 84  18  7    49 46 294 .460 .400 .785 36.6 19.6 6.9 5.6 

Rk Player     From To    G MP  PER   TS%  eFG% ORB% DRB% TRB% AST% STL% BLK% TOV% USG% ORtg DRtg OWS DWS WS  WS/48 
1  Grant Hill 1996 2000 15 549 22.9 .516 .464  5.4  20.1 12.4 34.0 1.9  1.2  14.7 31.1 103  106  0.7 0.5 1.3 0.112

[S-Dot]

If I'm not mistaken this was before the Birds Rights. Plus Grant Hill wanted to leave because he thought Tim Duncan was joining the Magic as well because they had the most cap that summer.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/...ns-san-antonio

[thekmp211]

^^ from what i've read just now jogging the brain, the pistons were a middling contender and hill was ready to opt out in free agency. the pistons wanted to get something for him, and actually did for once.

[clehmun]

was he somewhat injury prone at that point?
also at the time, ben wallace hasn't shown much of his DPOY talent yet...

[Chronz]

Something about the team and its fanbase turning their back on him and thinking he was milking injuries that werent that severe, when in reality he played when he should have sat. Im prolly wrong but I cant remember the specifics. SteveNash aka Trophico would know

[Pierzynski4Prez]

because they had a crystal ball, that or some intel on hill's ankle being super super weak

[king4day]

I'd say it worked out pretty well for Detroit. Especially if Hill wasn't gonna resign.

[redsox0717]

Same reason Melo might get traded

[PhillyFaninLA]

I'd say it worked out pretty well for Detroit. Especially if Hill wasn't gonna resign.

Yeah I'd say 50+ wins a year for most of the next decade, an NBA championship, and another appearance made it a good trade

A front offices job is to make a team into a winner both today and in the future. The front office made the move they had to become a winner.

[210Don]

timmy going to orlando was true i was laughed at when i said that ina thread a while back.

[mark1125]

It was a sign and trade. One could argue that if the Pistons did not make that deal, they would have never won a title and appeared in so many other finals/conference finals.

[TheNatural797]

It seems like The Pistons had a magic ball back in 2000 (it must have broke because they're mediocre now). A soon to be injured Grant Hill for Chucky Atkins and Ben Wallace. Granted (haha) Hill wanted to go to the Magic in the WORST way because everyone thought Tim Duncan was going to sign there (like Lebron to New York). Actually.. the only reason Duncan DIDNT sign with Orlando was because of David Robinson.. but thats another story for another time. In the end ..I'd say the Pistons won this because Ben Wallace turned into a great SHUTDOWN, SHOT BLOCKING Center.

[abe_froman]

because they had no choice,he was walking to orlando anyways.so its like asking why did the cavs trade lebron for picks

[sep11ie]

because they had a crystal ball, that or some intel on hill's ankle being super super weak

I was gonna say that, exactly.

[Riveramk2]

damn im trying to remember....

from what i can...detroit was like a 7 seed in the playoffs grant hills last year as a piston....i remember that was when he first hurt his ankle/leg in those playoffs....also if i remember he wasnt gonna resign with detroit because he wanted to go to a winner and compete for a chip