Indiana Pacers Decline Solomon Hill’s 2016-17 Option
By Dylan Hughes
With the deadline on 2013 draft picks’ fourth-year options approaching, the Indiana Pacers had a decision to make on former 23rd overall pick Solomon Hill. Indiana decided to decline the 6’7″, 24-year-old forward’s option. This team option on Hill was worth $2.3 million and would have been the final year on his rookie contract.
Hill will now be a free agent next offseason.
After averaging 13.4 points and 5.3 rebounds as a senior coming out of Arizona, Indiana hoped Hill could become an integral part of a then-championship-contending rotation for the 2013-14 season and beyond. Hill saw action early on in his rookie year, but wasn’t able to hold onto his rotation spot and ended the season seeing the floor in just 28 games and averaged less than two points a game.
Last season, with Paul George out nearly the entire season after breaking his leg, Hill had the opportunity to really impress and earn a rotation spot even after George returned. Hill started in 78 games and was the only Pacer to appear in all 82. He led the team in minutes played for the year. Still, in 29 minutes a contest, Hill only managed to put up 8.9 points and 3.8 rebounds.
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A role that seemed realistic for Hill coming into last season was to be that 3-and-D player that is oh-so important to an offensive system reliant on space. He has shown the tools to be a good defender, and still, his best defensive rating was 101 his rookie season where he only saw 226 total minutes. Last season, with over 2,000 more minutes, that number rose to 105.
You don’t have to be a great shooter to fit into this offense, though. A ball-handler — something Hill became last season early on with George Hill and C.J. Watson out — who can create offense for others and himself, or an off-ball cutter, can fit into the spacious offensive style. That’s what that space is for: slashing guards and forwards. Hill, however, has been a poor finisher at the rim, shooting just 50% there last season.
After four years in college and now two years in the NBA, it is clear Hill doesn’t have much more potential to reach. Combining that with his lack of fit in the new offense and two other viable options at his position — Chase Budinger and Glenn Robinson — there is no room for Hill on this roster going forward unless he proves otherwise this season.