By Dave Goldstein
Enquirer contributor

TORONTO - Tyrone Hill's contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers expires at the end of this season, but if his agent has his way, Hill will be in a new uniform soon. The former Xavier Musketeer has played just 10 minutes in the team's last six games, and agent Mark Bartelstein said he and Cleveland management will attempt to move the veteran before Thursday's NBA trade deadline

"(The Cavs) acknowledge that Tyrone is the best power forward on the team and one of the best players on the team, but right now they are just trying to look at their younger guys and get a handle on them," Bartelstein said. "We're working hard on trying to create a trade."

In his 13th season, Hill is still a valuable NBA commodity.

His commitment to rebounding was evident in college but solidified when he spent his rookie season crashing the boards for Golden State and its shot-happy trio of Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin. Although Hill averaged more than 20 points a game in his senior season at Xavier, then-Warriors coach Don Nelson told the rookie that if he wanted to play, he was going to have to hit the glass and leave the shooting to the three stars.

Hill is averaging 8.7 rebounds a game for his NBA career. This season, he's averaging only 6.3 points but adding 8.3 rebounds a game in 32 appearances.

Hill also is trying to show some of his young Cavs teammates the road to a successful NBA career, with emphasis on the word show.

"I'm not a real vocal type," Hill said. "I just try to be professional and display good work habits. I let (the young Cavs) watch me a little bit and see how I take care of my body and how I approach the game night in and night out."

That approach has not changed despite Hill's frustrations in Cleveland. Coach Keith Smart, who took over for John Lucas on Jan.20, has been impressed with Hill's attitude.

"One thing Tyrone has shown is the ability to lead, even though he is not playing the kind of minutes he wants to play," Smart said. "It has been a really big help for me (having) a 13-year veteran who (could) be saying to himself, `I'm sitting on the side, I'm not playing, I've played 13 years and I don't need to practice,' but yet who's still going out and doing everything I've asked him to do."

If Cavs management returns the favor, Hill could be playing just about anywhere next week. But for a guy who has appeared in the playoffs eight times with no ring, his preferred-destination criterion is simple.

"There are a number of teams who would love to get (Hill), and at this stage in his career he just wants to be somewhere he thinks he'll be able to compete for a championship," Bartelstein said.