2:49pm: In the full ESPN report on Hill and the Lakers, Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne classify the talks between the two sides as “serious,” suggesting there’s real mutual interest. According to Shelburne (via Twitter), the Lakers envision Hill and Ball playing alongside one another in the starting lineup.
12:26pm: Free agent point guard George Hill and his representatives are in Los Angeles today to meet with the Lakers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter). Wojnarowski reports that the Lakers and Hill are discussing a possible one-year contract.
Although injuries limited Hill to 49 games in 2016/17, he was excellent when he played, comfortably establishing a new career high in PPG (16.9) despite averaging fewer minutes per game than he had with the Pacers. Hill played solid defense for the Jazz and shot over 40% from downtown for a second straight season. His ability to play off the ball in addition to running the point would make him a valuable backcourt piece for virtually any team.
However, Hill has seen his market shrink in recent days, with many of his potential suitors unable to offer a lucrative deal. The Nuggets and Knicks are said to have interest, but don’t have the necessary cap room to make a market-value offer without moving other contracts. The Jazz wanted to bring Hill back, but addressed their point guard spot by trading for Ricky Rubio, significantly reducing the odds of a reunion with last year’s starter. The Spurs were also linked to Hill, but reportedly broke off talks after striking a deal with Patty Mills.
Taking a one-year deal with the Lakers to act as a short-term starter and a mentor for Lonzo Ball might make some sense for Hill, since it would give him an opportunity to show he can stay healthy for a full season. But at age 31, there’s no guarantee that he could parlay a strong 2017/18 campaign into a huge payday a year from now.
L.A. doesn’t have a huge excess of cap room available either — taking into account cap holds for their three first-round picks, the Lakers have nearly $82MM in guaranteed salary on their books for 2017/18, which leaves approximately $17MM in cap space. The team is interested in one-year deals this offseason, in order to maintain cap room for the summer of 2018.
It’s worth noting 2017/18 will be Hill’s 10th NBA season, which would make him eligible for a higher starting salary next summer (up to 35% of the cap instead of 30%). However, based on his seemingly cooling market, an offer in that range appears unlikely anyway.
Good one for the Lakers
You bring in hill for one year because Chris Paul is coming next year along with Paul George and LeBron James.
And yes Lonzo ball and Chris Paul can play on the court together. It’s all about ball movement, shooting, team defense. The new NBA.
Btw, I’m a Dubs fan, not a wishful thinking Laker fan.
Dude Lebron isn’t going anywhere. Specially to that gauntlet of the West, he’s good out East. If anything Griffin gets hired by the Knicks and he brings in Lebron :).
That could happen too. But I know his kids are in La he bought a house in La Chris Paul is his buddy and Chris Paul didn’t sign an extension has only one year left so they can play together next year. Super team with Paul George and they are all set. But you’re right who knows.
Stop playing 2k dude. Lebron would get absolutely torched if he leaves yet again to form another team, its not happening dude Lebron sees Kyrie’s untapped potential and he is only 25.
Chris Paul hasn’t signed an extension so he can give himself plenty of options. You’re right, one of them is to team up with LeBron (possibly in LA). Personally, I think it was to give him an out if the Houston experience doesn’t work out, but I think he’s hoping it works out. His original plan was to opt out and sign with Houston. The main reason (at least what I think is) he didn’t just do that was because Houston would’ve had to pull off multiple trades to send salary out before they could’ve offered Paul a respectable deal (assuming Paul wasn’t going to take a short term discount). With the Clippers hoping to get something in return for Paul (and likely knowing Paul planned to bolt to Houston and Houston’s looming cap problems), it made sense for all sides to work out a trade rather than see Paul sign a new contract.
Lakers will never sign CP3. Would be a dumb signing. Lebron won’t come to LA. Every athlete has a house in La. big whoop.
Westbrook and PG13, to la is most likely. But still don’t see Westbrook leaving.
Keep Paul and keep LeBron. I’ll take Westbrook and PG.
Lebron would never play for Dolan!
Oh yes he would =), Dolan would throw him insane amounts of money.
I think George comes to the lakers next year and then Klay comes the following year. The warriors aren’t gonna be able to afford him.
Klay going to the Knicks to play with Frank and KP.
Wtf? Whyyy!!!? Why would you draft Ball to bring Hill in? Please explain this makes no sense.
They explained it in the article. To mentor Ball
Yea 1 year deal, not bad but not worth it.
How is a 1year deal not worth it?!?! It doesn’t cut into the cap for 2018 and Ball gets a mentor
It actually, I skimmed through the article lol.
It’s better than rajon.
I’m noticing dionis lacks a lot of reading comprehension.
Basketball knowledge in general
I got a finance degree under my belt what about you? Lol
The better question is who’s name is on that finance degree you carry around?? lol haha…
University of Phoenix lol
Lol
Why you getting all personal bro? chill lmao.
You’re really gonna brag about a finance degree lol
Whats your lebel of education? You think anyone can just get a degree? Takes a lot of discipline and brains.
Level*
Actually I have an electrical engineering and a masters degree dude.
Think that tops your lebel of edu
I wonder if you even understand bball
I wonder if you have a life.
you comment on 9/10 articles and I have no life Hahahaha
I like this website lol.
Read the article
Hill can play really well off ball. Sg is Clarkson at the moment so can offer depth at pg and sg which they need.
Hill > Rondo
You’re right. But as a Celtics fan, I’d MUCH rather see them bring in Rondo. LOL!!!!
LOL yep hoping we sign him so the pick we send you guys is alot worse than if we didnt;
Well as a Lakers fan I rather see Hayward go anyplace but Boston LOL
LOL
In today’s nba Hill is probably getting 150 mil or 25 for 1 yr
As a sixer fan, would love this move. Lakers would be a solid 6-12 seed. If all goes well, maybe just miss the payoffs in the ridiculously hard West, land 10-12. If all doesnt go well( injury, bad fit, etc) still good enough to be in 6-9 range. Either way, lakers should be better then the bottom 5 or 6 Tankers.
Gordon Hayward told the Jazz that he would like them to bring back George Hill and that he would like to play with Ricky Rubio. Jazz already traded for Rubio and now I think that if they do manage to sign Hill, Hayward will probably stay in Utah. If the Jazz don’t re-sign Hill, I think it’s 50/50 between Utah and Boston. I don’t really see the Heat being a huge threat to sign Hayward over the Jazz/Celtics
Why? Hayward should go to the east
(Preferably Miami)! West is loaded!
In Miami everything would be built around him, he’s got to like that idea.
Karma>76ers HaHa!