Hill passed on the full MLE from Knicks

Grant Hill's agent Lon Babby said on a conference call today that Hill turned down a one-year offer from the Knicks for the full mid-level exception of $5.8M. Instead he chose to stay in Phoenix for one year at $3M and a player option year in 2010-11 for $3.24M. The Knicks also had a three-year deal on the table, with the third year a player option, with the same scale as the Suns' offer. Babby said if Hill chose New York he would have not taken the three-year deal, but the one-year full MLE. So that's two free agents down. Is Andre Miller next? According to a person close to him, Miller hasn't reached the point where he is ready to start considering taking the mid-level. Portland may not be an option if they trade for Kirk Hinrich, but Miller could find sign-and-trade scenarios. This is going to be a long summer, Fixers. Donnie Walsh's best play at this point -- after the two main targets opted not to come here -- is to wait out the process and see what comes begging for that MLE as July turns to August. And one thought on the Steve Nash front: Hill staying in Phoenix is an obvious sign that Nash plans to stay there, too. But for how long? That player option is key for Hill to escape if Nash leaves next summer in free agency.