8 Points, 9 Seconds » 2011 NBA Draft

Larry Bird on George Hill

Jared Wade — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 17:45:34 +0000

In his post-draft press conference, Larry Bird let the world know that he and his front office team have coveted the basketball-playing services of George Hill for the past two years. He said there’s “no question this was our deal,” meaning that Indiana initiated the transaction, and that even though there were a few amateurs that he hoped would drop to the Pacers, Hill was the team’s “number-one priority” with the 15th pick.

“We talked to them about George the last two years,” said Bird. “We’ve been talking to them the last couple of weeks. And they didn’t know if they had any interest or not … it just happened after the 14th pick. We was [sic] on the line with them and they decided that their player was still there so we made the trade.”

As Spurs GM RC Buford has stated since the move, it was tough decision for the Spurs to trade Hill. So he must have been that high on Kawhi Leonard and that concerned with how he will divvy up the Spurs’ salary cap in the days after the final sands fall through the Duncan/Many/Parker hourglass.

Most GMs say stuff similar to this after a draft day deal/pick so I wouldn’t put too much stock in all of this. Zach Lowe of SI sums up that sentiment well here. But the point is that Bird has wanted Hill for a while and now he has him. In the eyes of Larry Legend, this is one more piece falling into place for the team’s ballyhooed three-year plan that will culminate in whatever occurs in the months between today and the start of next season.

Whether or not this — or the rest of the plan — actually slingshots the Pacers fortunes forward in any meaningful way is yet to be determined. The summer has been a success so far in Larry’s eyes, though, it seems.

Hill is tentatively scheduled to come to Indiana to speak with Bird on Monday.

I have no info on this and haven’t seen it mentioned anywhere yet, but I am curious as to whether or not the team will discuss a contract extension with Hill this summer. The uncertainty of the CBA negotiations obviously make it a non-starter right now; Indiana would be foolish to lock themselves into any type of deal until they actually know what the new rules of the road will be under the new cap. But once that’s figured out, they may find the subject worth talking about if they really do want Hill for the long-term. The team will eventually have to establish a leaner back-court rotation (more on this later), so any contract talk would essentially show their hand as to whether they expect Hill to definitely be a part of their future or if they just see him as the best value/asset to pick up with the #15th pick in a weak draft.

Because the one decidedly negative thing about trading for Hill as compared to drafting a rookie is that his contract expires much sooner. Under the current CBA, Hill will become a restricted free agent next summer. And while his salary right now is no higher than that of a late lottery pick (he will make $1.4 million in 2011-12), if he performs as well as Bird hopes he will next season, he may be due for a more substantial raise than he could bargain for before this year begins … whenever that might be.

These financial concerns certainly factored into management’s decision. Obviously they feel that Hill’s versatility (he can play both guard spots and defend a wide range of players given his length) and experience even given his young age (he has averaged 30.5 mpg in 20 career playoff games by 24 years old) outweigh the salary factor.

Pacers 2011 Draft Day Grades and Reactions

Jared Wade — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 21:01:16 +0000

Just a link dump of what everyone is saying about Indy’s draft day performance:

Zach Lowe of SI.com has the best piece I’ve seen on the Pacers/Spurs trade of Kawhi Leonard/pick #42/the rights to Erazem Lorbek for George Hill: “the numbers peg Hill more as a shooting guard with nice ball-handling skills than someone ready to run a team full time. Luckily for the Pacers, they have a young point guard ready to run an offense full time in Darren Collison, and they have a major need for consistent scoring on the wing. Hill, an Indianapolis native who starred at IUPUI, can fill the same role with the Pacers that he played in San Antonio. He’ll be an immediate upgrade over shooting guards Dahntay Jones, Brandon Rush and Paul George.”

Rob Mahoney breaks down the trade for the NBA blog of record: “This trade not only transforms George Hill back into Indiana George, but provides the clean slate necessary for Hill to revisit his basketball roots. With the Pacers, Hill has the opportunity to participate in a more flexible offensive system. He’ll play with and without the ball in his hands, and hopefully be able to tap into that explosive scoring capability on a more regular basis while retaining his defensive aptitude. Indiana has plenty of minutes, shot attempts and opportunities for Hill, but the marriage between player and team will rely on Hill’s own willingness to let go – to bring to mind all of the restrictions he has placed on himself, and knowingly cast them aside. You can take George Hill out of San Antonio, but can this trade take the San Antonio out of George Hill?”

Tom Lewis of Indy Cornrows thinks Hill is a versatile player the Pacers need: “He’s not a backup point guard or an undersized shooting guard – Hill is a player. Hill can play either guard spots with any of the other guards on the current roster. But more importantly, Hill is a productive, professional player. Put him on the court and he will consistently play hard at both ends, giving the Pacers playing rotation a much needed boost in reliability and leadership.”

Yahoo’s Kelly Dwyer gives the Pacers a B: “I don’t know what Hill does for a middling team like the Pacers, but he’s a combo guard we know can contribute. No amount of scouting reports and likely potential payoff can make up for someone who is NBA tested. So, solid work, nothing more.”

ESPN’s Chad Ford gives the Pacers a B+ (ESPN Insider): “[Hill's] versatility, toughness and playoff experience on a veteran roster all help accelerate the Pacers’ rebuilding project. He can step in immediately and give them something they need: a guard who can create his own shot and defend.

Matt Moore and/or Ben Golliver of CBS give the Pacers a B+: “This was a sneaky good night for the Pacers. I’m high on George Hill’s potential when it’s his show to run, and a sliding Kawhi Leonard — the best player left on the board — was going to be extraneous in Indiana.”

NBC’s Kurt Helin gives the Pacers a B, but also seems to think they had two first rounders so might not be the best source here.

Tom Ziller of SB Nation is one of the few guys panning this deal. He gave the Pacers a D under the rationale that I imagine many championship-or-bust/swing-for-the-fences proponents are using today: “The Indiana Pacers were in the fortuitous spot of having a No. 15 in the 2011 NBA Draft in which a number of prized talents slipped out of the lottery. The Pacers struck gold with … George Hill. Did I say gold? I meant, uh, George Hill? They struck George Hill … The Pacers now have Darren Collison, Hill and A.J. Price under contract. Am I missing something? Is Indiana planning on merging Collison and Hill in a grand science experiment?”

George Hill Has a State of Indiana Tattoo

Jared Wade — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 02:31:48 +0000

I’m not exactly sure when George Hill got the state of Indiana tattooed on his torso, but Spurs Nation posted the below photo on May 20.

Apropos, George The Prescient.

A lot of Pacers fans often bemoan their lot in life as a supporter of a franchise for which very few free agents ever want to play. Well, I would say that this is a pretty good sign that Mr. Hill is happy to be home.

The Complete TrueHoop Network 2011 1st Round Mock Draft

Tim Donahue — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 10:53:45 +0000

On Tuesday, Jared selected Markieff Morris with the 15th pick. Yesterday, I selected Marshon Brooks on the DDL Mock Draft, despite the fact that both Markieff and Marcus Morris were still on the board.

That’s not to say that I thoroughly disagreed with Jared, just that I was kind of unexcited with the options available at 15. Truth be told, I actually wish I’d taken Markieff.

In any case, tonight, we’ll find out for real. Will the Pacers go for a big? Will they go for scoring? Will they surprise? Will they trade out? Tonight, the speculation stops.

But for now, here’s how the TrueHoop Network and its members predicted the first round. (Click on the links to see their great write ups.)