Does George Hill fit into the Pacers plans?
As much as some Pacers fans would love to see George Hill back in a Pacers uniform, a few underlying variables needed to be addressed.
If (when) the Bucks waive his $18 million contract, they’d clearly have the first chance at retaining him. If Milwaukee chooses to extend Middleton and an additional player hitting the market, the mid-level exception they’d be able to offer would be $5.7 million. Milwaukee’s front office can certainly pitch the guarantee of playing for a finals contender, but Hill will likely have enough interest to attract more lucrative offers.
That’s only in the case they want to extend him early into the free agency period.
Despite the Bucks collectively taking 42% of their shots from long-range (which ranked 3rd in the NBA), they only converted on 35.2% of these attempts (15th in the league). Guessing that they’ll look to improve the three-point shooting around Giannis Antetokounmpo, there’s a chance they may decide to move on from Hill entirely in exchange for a bench guard who can shoot more reliably from behind the arc.
Additionally, the notion the Pacers will entertain bringing in an All-Star level point guard, a la Kemba Walker, Jrue Holiday, or Mike Conley, is one of the more popular perceptions heading into the draft and free agency.
If one of these players is acquired, the addition of Hill could cause a crux in minutes depending on the role the team plans for Aaron Holiday and if one of Collison or Joseph is re-signed.
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The prospect of signing Hill won’t be gauged until it’s known if he and Milwaukee are seeking to extend their relationship. Barring the addition of a significant upgrade at point guard, I’d be happy to see the former IUPUI Jaguar back in Indianapolis. He could provide vital mentoring to Holiday and Indiana’s other young players, and be a solid contributor in the second rotation.
However, his current team can offer the opportunity of playing on a championship caliber team with an MVP-level player. If Hill’s primary goal is financial or playing time, teams like the Orlando Magic or Phoenix Suns could make more enticing offers.
As it stands, the Indiana Pacers will likely see how draft night unfolds and the market looks in the days looming before July 1st, the beginning of the free agency period. Seeing as Milwaukee’s top priorities will be retaining Middleton, Brogdon, and Lopez, as well as adding an upgrade at the wing position, they likely won’t be in a huge hurry to negotiate a deal with Hill.
The most realistic scenario is that if the Bucks want to work out a contract, they’ll make it known prior to free agency and allow the point guard to field offers from around the league.
As the NBA finals are heating up, we begin to approach an exciting time off the court as well. NBA fans can look forward to the draft, free agency, and trades that will occur over the next month with the hope their favorite team will land a star player. While it’s not very realistic to think the Pacers will be able to convince a guard like Kyrie Irving or Klay Thompson to come to play here, fans can’t completely count out a return from Indy’s hometown hero.