Ss&r- Jordan Hill's Future With The Lakers Uncertain After Strange Season

I actually wrote this up a few weeks ago, but with the draft lottery win the "Season Review" series got bumped back a week. It's my take on Hill's journey through the NBA and how his 2014-2015 season will impact the Lakers decision on his team option.

Jordan Hill's NBA career has been a strange one, filled with promise, bad luck, and a hint of irony. Through all the ups and downs, he has become a key player for the Los Angeles Lakers, and one that the franchise will have to make a big decision about this summer.

When he was drafted eighth overall by the New York Knicks in 2010, it appeared to be an odd selection given that the Knicks were coached by Mike D'Antoni, who was the creator of the "Seven Seconds or Less" offense used by the run-and-gun Phoenix Suns in their heyday. The fast-hitting, space-creating offense required big men who could space the floor with their outside shooting, something that Hill wasn't known for.

Hill was a grit-and-grind, dirty work kind of player who wanted to get in the paint, knock people around, and rebound the hell out of the ball. At best Hill was a square peg in a round hole. In his rookie campaign D'Antoni struggled to find minutes for Jordan, and the team unceremoniously traded him to Houston after allowing him to take the court just 24 times.

After plying his trade as a backup in Houston for two seasons Hill found himself on the move once again, this time heading to the Los Angeles Lakers. At the time the Lakers employed Mike Brown as their head coach, and it was thought that his defense-first style would fit Hill like a glove. Sure enough, Hill showed enough promise to warrant a new two-year deal with the Lakers that summer.

Unfortunately, the celebration for his new contract would be short-lived. After an eventful summer that saw the Lakers bring Steve Nash and Dwight Howard into the fold, Hill was blindsided by the ouster of Brown and the hiring of none other than Mike D'Antoni. While the Lakers brass envisioned D'Antoni recreating Showtime around their new superstar quintet, Hill found himself back with a coach who didn't value what he brought to the team.

Still, Jordan soldiered ahead and was able to earn modest minutes from his least-favorite coach. Along the way D'Antoni prodded Hill to develop his outside shot and turn himself into the stretch-four that he coveted, but it just didn't suit Jordan's bruising style of play.

Near the conclusion of the '13-14 season Pau Gasol went down with an injury and D'Antoni had no choice but to plug Hill into the starting lineup at center for the final 16 games of the season, which happened to coincide nicely with the expiration of the bruising big man's contract. With his future on the line, Hill put up career-best numbers across the board (16.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocks) before heading into free agency.

It was a near-certainty that Jordan Hill would not return to Los Angeles for the '14-'15 season. He had played more than he cared to for Mike D'Antoni and now he had the opportunity to find someplace where his style of play would be appreciated.

"IF MIKE (D'ANTONI) WAS HERE, I WOULDN’T BE BACK .... NO DISRESPECT TO MIKE, BUT APPARENTLY I DIDN’T FIT HIS SYSTEM."-JORDAN HILL
However, in a not-unexpected twist, the Lakers and Mike D'Antoni mutually decided to part ways, and Pau Gasol chose to move on from the Lakers and sign with the Chicago Bulls in free agency. Hill had been determined to put Los Angeles firmly in his rear-view, but now the team offered an intriguing option: he could play for a new coach and be a full-time starter for the first time in his career.

When the Lakers offered to nearly triple Hill's salary by giving him a two-year deal worth $9 million per year he couldn't turn it down, even with a team option built into the second year. When Byron Scott was hired to coach the team a few weeks later, it seemed as though the skies had parted and the sun was finally shining on Jordan Hill. For the first time in his career he had a big contract, a starting role, and a coach who demanded the grit, grind, and hustle that Hill was known for.

Consequently, the '14-'15 season was expected to be Hill's coming-out party. Finally, the Predator-style dreadlocked (Preadlocked?) madman would be unleashed to do what he does best: Crash the boards, play tencious defense, and feast on broken plays and put-backs.

Or at least, that's how it was supposed to go down. Instead, a funny thing happened: for better or worse, Hill morphed into the stretch 4/5 that Mike D'Antoni always wanted him to be...

Read the rest HERE

 

I'm thinking it's a forgone conclusion the Lakers will pass on Hill and his option. Kevin Love has expressed the desire to opt out and look for another team. The way LBJ has let it be known Tristin Thompson is his guy will push Love to relocate...and the Lakers have always coveted him. Hill's 9 mil will help in getting the cap room they need. The knock on Love is his weak defense, but Hill was horrible on D. Love can do a lot to ease the burden on Kobe, Hill does not.

 

Hill's gone.

 

I was a big fan of Hill a couple seasons back when he was the high energy, offensive rebounding guy but he lost me last season. Instead of hustling he turned into a mid range shooter. Keeping him wouldn't be too bad but not for 9 mil.

 

You can thank Dan Tony for Hill's fondness for shooting the ball now.

 

Really? If anything, Scott should have had more common sense and told Hill to roll to the basket more instead of popping out taking his 20' foot jump shot, shooting 37%, and clogging up the driving lanes. You know what, though? I can't be mad. Those 20' foot jump shots got us a number 2 pick, baby.

 

I definitely think that Hill's option will not be picked up, but I wouldn't rule out the Lakers negotiating another deal with him should they strike out on bigger-name free agents. I think what is most likely going to happen is at least one of Hill and Davis signs elsewhere while the Lakers are wooing Kevin Love, Marc Gasol, etc.

 

He does what was asked of him, even if the coach was insane, and continued to improve the jump shot to the point where he could play with another big, and that's a knock on the guy?

 

I'm not going to fault Hill for trying to expand his game. But he does have a relatively decent down low game and that's where he should have made a living. But adding an outside touch and staying consistent with it, that can only help his career. But like the article said depending on who we get in the draft and free agency will ultimately determine whether or not Hill remains. Hopefully if he stays both sides can mutually agree to decline the option and resign a new longer deal for fewer dollars a year.

 

Seems like when he started to try and expand his game, he started to be less consistent in areas which made him who he was.