Grant Hill recalls Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady Big 3 that never was
02/19/2025 05:27 PM
One of the greatest “what-ifs” in NBA history is Tim Duncan almost leaving the Spurs in his prime to join Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill on the Orlando Magic. It’s often discussed in NBA circles, as the move would’ve drastically altered NBA history as the Duncan-Hill-McGrady tandem would’ve certainly been the Lakers’s biggest challenge in their quest for a three-peat.
During an appearance on the Whistle podcast, Hill discussed Tim Duncan’s near signing.
"Tim, I thought, had a great visit," Hill said of Duncan's trip to Orlando as the Magic wooed him during free agency. "I thought when we left to go home to our respective cities after the visit, it felt like he was all in. It felt like he was seriously thinking about leaving San Antonio to go to Orlando."
According to Hill, Duncan was intrigued by the Orlando opportunity, but he ultimately decided to remain a member of the Spurs. Hill credited Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and David Robinson's recruitment efforts as pivotal in convincing Duncan to stay in San Antonio.
"I've heard stories that Popovich and Robinson really recruited him hard, and ultimately he stayed," Hill said. "But sometimes it's fun to think of what could have happened."
At the time, rumors emerged that the Magic’s lack of flexibility to accommodate Duncan's request to allow his spouse to travel with the team was a significant factor in his decision to stay in San Antonio. Hill, however, disputed this notion.
"The reality of the situation was in the late '90s and early 2000s, families didn't travel on the plane; that was a big no-no," Hill clarified.
He added that while the question may have been raised, it wasn't a dealbreaker. "Even with that question being answered as it was, [Duncan] was still, I think, on board. I think Tim was ready. He was dialed in, he wanted to think it through."
It was a close call, but the Magic missed out. Duncan chose San Antonio, where he not only became the face of the franchise but one of the most decorated players in NBA history. Duncan had already won two championships with the Spurs after being drafted by the team first overall in the 1997 NBA Draft.
He was instrumental in leading the team to three more championships in 2005, 2007, and 2014 and helped the Spurs maintain their status as a contender throughout the 2000s and 2010s into his retirement in 2016. Had Duncan signed with the Magic, they would’ve certainly been a team that consistently competed with the Nets, 76ers, and Pistons as contenders out East. Tim Duncan's dominance could have eased the burden on McGrady and Hill, potentially reducing the risk of the injuries they endured.
But, in reality, the Magic struggled mightily. They finished the 2002-2003 season with a 42-40 record and a horrid 21-61 record that led in the firing of Doc Rivers mid-season and the trade of Tracy McGrady to the Houston Rockets in the Summer of 2004. Interestingly enough, the Magic "Big 3" might have also kept them from the rebuilding process that they underwent in the mid-2000s, which started with them drafting Dwight Howard first overall in the 2004 NBA Draft.
It’s fascinating to consider how the Magic duo could have changed NBA history. But, the Magic are contenders once again with homegrown superstars such as Paolo Banchero that will surely place them in contending conversations in the seasons ahead.
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