NBA Rumors: Grant Hill Would Make Sense for Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers looked to have had their fill when they traded for Steve Nash, but now it looks like the Canadian-born point guard will look to lure his now former teammate, Grant Hill, to Hollywood, per Marc Stein of ESPN.

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Sources told ESPN.com that Nash will try to convince longtime teammate Grant Hill, one of his closest friends in the game, to join him with the Lakers. ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher reported over the weekend the Lakers were one of four teams (along with Toronto, New York and Phoenix) in the running for Hill after the 39-year-old's recent trip to Germany to undergo the same platelet-enrichment treatment on his knee that Bryant credited for his rejuvenated knee last season.

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While Hill is no spring chicken, there are many ways he could help this Lakers team during the 2012-13 season.

In 2011-12, Hill averaged 10.2 points, 2.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 28 minutes per game as a starter for the Phoenix Suns. While it isn't clear where he might play if he came to the Lakers, Hill could help out a great deal either way.

As a starter, Hill might get lost in the fray of great talent the Lakers have in their starting lineup. Next to guys like Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, Hill would be mostly an outside presence and another solid passer on the floor.

But that's not what LA needs.

His most significant contribution would come off the bench for Los Angeles. This was a team that sorely lacked depth last season, and Hill provides the kind punch off the bench they so desperately need.

Age could be a concern, but Hill has proven he can stay on the court in recent years. He played in 49 of 66 games last season, but the three years prior, Hill played in 80 or more while averaging almost 30 minutes per.

And that was mostly as a starter. If Hill was to come off the bench, it would easily save his aging body and help him remain healthy for more games throughout the season. An added bonus is the fact that Hill received the infamous knee surgery that Kobe Bryant says helped his career, per the same report by Marc Stein of ESPN.

It seems to have worked wonders for Bryant and even New York Yankees star, Alex Rodriguez, who has also avoided injury this season on his formerly bad knee. Knowing that, Kobe will certainly join Nash in trying to bring a rejuvenated Hill to the Staples Center.

The amount of experience Hill brings to the table is too much to ignore and while he doesn't make this team younger, he certainly makes them wiser and deeper on both ends of the floor.

As a player on the last leg of his career, Hill would have about as great a shot to win his first NBA title as he's ever had in his entire career. This could be the final landing spot for Hill and the one that finally nets him a championship.