Grant Hill Says He’s Close to a Deal With the Magic

Grant Hill said he is leaning toward signing with the Orlando Magic and wished the Detroit Pistons well.

The free-agent forward skipped his flight home to Detroit on Monday so he and his wife could house-hunt in central Florida. They returned to Michigan on Tuesday.

NBA rules prohibit free agents from signing contracts until Aug. 1.

“I’m leaning” toward signing with Orlando, Hill told Detroit News columnist Bob Wojnowski on a flight from Orlando to Detroit on Tuesday. “Well, it’s not 100%, but it’s close.

“I know people will be upset, but I felt I did everything I could do here,” Hill said. “I love Detroit. I enjoy the people. This is just a golden opportunity, for basketball reasons.

“I wish the Pistons well, I really do.”

Joe Dumars, who became the Pistons’ president for basketball operations last month, had re-signing Hill as his first and biggest job.

“I can’t comment until I talk with Grant,” Dumars told the Detroit Free Press.

The Orlando Sentinel on Tuesday quoted two NBA sources as saying Hill was preparing to sign with Orlando.

Orlando General Manager John Gabriel said he knew nothing of the decision.

The Magic is offering Hill and San Antonio free-agent forward Tim Duncan six-year deals worth $67.5 million, the most allowed under the collective bargaining agreement.

*

Cynthia Cooper, who won the most valuable player award at the WNBA finals all three years of the league’s existence, plans to retire at the end of this season to go into broadcasting or coaching.

“This is my last year in the league,” the Houston Comet star said late Monday night. “I will retire after this year.”

One of the WNBA’s two oldest players, Cooper, 37, was the league’s scoring champion in its first three seasons and the regular-season MVP in 1997 and 1998. In this year’s season opener, she became the first player in the league to reach 2,000 career points.

Asked what she’ll do next, Cooper said, “I’ll always be around basketball. I really want to get into broadcasting, begin a career in broadcasting.”

Golf

Nick Faldo said he has support from other European players who want Mark James to resign as vice captain of the Ryder Cup team and chairman of the European Tour tournament committee.

“I have had players call me and that has not happened before--they are outraged,” said Faldo, who had a good luck letter he sent to last year’s team tossed into the trash by James, the ’99 Ryder Cup captain.

Sherri Steinhauer’s par at the final hole enabled the United States to successfully defend the Nations’ Cup women’s title at Stouffville, Canada.

Jurisprudence

Charlotte Hornet forward Anthony Mason was released from jail after being accused of starting a riot and assaulting a police officer in the French Quarter at New Orleans.

A class-action lawsuit over price-fixing at NASCAR souvenir stands has been settled at Atlanta for more than $11 million, and the race fans who bought the souvenirs may be due a refund.

Anyone who bought a souvenir from an on-track vendor from Jan. 1, 1991, through Dec. 31, 1999, is eligible to receive a portion of the settlement.

A special Web site, www.stockcarnotice.com, has been started to help people apply for part of the settlement.

Hockey

Free-agent goaltender Ron Tugnutt signed a four-year, $10-million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who reportedly will name former Calgary Flame and Canadian national team coach Dave King as their first coach today.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed free-agent forwards Gary Roberts and Shayne Corson to multiyear contracts.

Miscellany

Second-seeded Misty May and Holly McPeak earned their first FIVB beach volleyball world tour gold medal, upsetting Adriana Behar and Shelda Bede of Brazil, 15-12, in the title match of the 2000 Oldsmobile Chicago Grand Slam.

Dino Zoff, who guided Italy’s soccer team to the final of Euro 2000, resigned after harsh criticism from political opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi.

“I was offended as a man,” Zoff said in announcing his resignation as national team coach. “I don’t see why people must publicly denigrate the work of others.”

James Grogan, a U.S. figure skater who won the 1952 Olympic bronze medal and was a four-time silver medalist at the world championships, has died at San Bernardino. He was 68. . . . Arnie Weinmeister, a Hall of Fame defensive lineman who starred in New York during the late 1940s and early ‘50s, died of cancer at Seattle at 77. Weinmeister played for the Yankees of the old All-American Football Conference and the Giants. . . . Larry Ragland, racing in the new SUV division, clocked the fastest overall time with a run of 11 minutes 17.66 seconds in the 78th Adelphia Pikes Peak International Hill Climb at Colorado Springs, Colo.