Magic Loses Grant Hill for Rest of the Season

Grant Hill will undergo season-ending surgery on his ankle, a devastating blow to the Orlando Magic and their hope that the five-time all-star would lead them to an NBA title.

Hill, acquired from Detroit in the off-season, is expected to be sidelined for at least six months, General Manager John Gabriel said Wednesday.

“Our focus is to put Grant Hill in the best possible position to return as the player that we all know he is,” Gabriel said. “We have great confidence in the outcome and wish Grant a speedy recovery.”

Hill, a 6-foot-8 forward, was originally injured at the end of last season while with the Pistons. He had surgery April 28 to repair a broken bone in his left ankle in which four pins and a plate were inserted.

“You don’t ever really want to have surgery unless you have to and I guess in this case I do,” Hill said at a news conference. “When your body talks, you have to listen to it.”

He appeared in only four games for the Magic, who are 12-16 and third in the Atlantic Division. He is averaging 13.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.25 steals in 33.3 minutes a game.

Hill was acquired by Orlando on Aug. 3 in a sign-and-trade deal with the Pistons for Chucky Atkins and Ben Wallace.

Hill, whose ankle injury forced him to miss the Sydney Olympics, said his injury created uncertainty for his teammates.

“Can he go? Can he not go?” he said. “Is he injured? Can he practice? What’s the deal? It just kind of became a distraction, and that’s the last thing I want to become, a distraction to the team.”

Team physician Dr. Joe Billings said a plate and five screws will be removed from the ankle. A bone graft from his pelvis will be done and new screws will be reinserted.

“We feel this operation will give Grant the best chance at a full recovery,” said Billings, who will consult on the surgery.

Hill is one of the NBA’s highest-paid players, with a seven-year, $94-million contract with the Magic.

“We are very disappointed by this development, but the ultimate goal is to get Grant Hill healthy and back in uniform,” Magic Coach Doc Rivers said.