NBA Rumors: Grant Hill Would Be a Wise Pickup for Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers' championship hopes received a gigantic boost on Independence Day by trading for All-Star point guard Steve Nash.

Adding Grant Hill to the mix would make them a top contender right alongside the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder.

It's an option the Lakers are likely to consider, as Nash has already begun to court his longtime teammate, according to Arash Markazi of ESPN LA. The two veterans have spent the past five years playing together with the Phoenix Suns.

Though the Lakers will eventually have to undergo a youth movement to retool an aging roster, making a move for Nash signals the front office plans to go all-in while Kobe Bryant still has some productive seasons left in the tank.

That makes Hill a perfect piece to the puzzle. The 39-year-old small forward has accomplished a lot during his career, including several All-Star appearances and Rookie of the Year honors.

Unfortunately, he has never won an NBA championship.

Los Angeles would not only give him a chance to pursue that dream but also allow him to play a meaningful role in the process. It's unlikely he'll find a better fit.

Although Hill's career has no shortage of highlights, it would have been a whole lot better if injuries didn't slow him down at seemingly every turn. He has only played a complete 82-game slate once and still deals with troublesome knees.

That's another reason joining the Lakers makes sense for both sides.

Since Los Angeles should be on cruise control for most of the regular season, head coach Mike Brown will be able to manage Hill's minutes to make sure he's in good shape for the playoffs.

Hill is a competitor first and foremost, so he will probably push to play as many minutes as possible. Still, he needs to keep an eye on the prize.

Making sure he's at full strength for a postseason run is more important than a winter game against a cellar dweller.

Another factor is the uncertain future of Metta World Peace. He's no longer the elite defender he once was, which has to make the Lakers wonder if the eccentric star is still worth the headache.

There wouldn't be any of those concerns with Hill.

He's a team-first player that will fit into the locker room perfectly with Bryant and Nash, who are both all business at this point in their careers.

No matter what angle you look at it, Hill looks like a perfect fit for the Lakers.

Give credit to general manager Mitch Kupchak for noticing the growing gap between the Heat, Thunder and everybody else and for making the bold move necessary to get Los Angeles back in the hunt.

Bringing in Hill would get them one step closer to competing with this year's finalists.