George Hill continues impressive offseason for the Sacramento Kings
On July 4, the Sacramento Kings agreed to a contract with free agent George Hill. This article explains why the Kings made another wise move.
The Sacramento Kings made point guard George Hill their first free agent signing by agreeing to a three-year, $57 million contract. Hill will serve as a mentor for rookie De’Aaron Fox and should be a major asset to the roster despite presumably taking minutes away from the number five overall pick.
On-court Fit
The Kings needed a veteran guard and shooting, so the on-court fit with Hill makes perfect sense. He is coming off a career-high scoring season (16.1 points per game) and can play off the ball as a spot-up shooter, which allows him and Fox to share the floor. Hill is also great defensively on the perimeter and is immediately the best player on the team.
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Hill will be the starting point guard in a move that likely guarantees Fox will lead the second unit, especially with Coach Joerger’s past in making players earn their playing time. George Hill can attest to the benefits of watching a veteran guard early in his career as he played behind Tony Parker for three seasons in San Antonio.
Intangibles
Hill was traded for Kawhi Leonard to Indiana where he started for five seasons on some great Indiana Pacer teams. Those experiences in a winning culture make him so valuable to the young players in Sacramento. He has made the playoffs in eight out of his nine NBA seasons. Hill can also plant some of his San Antonio roots into the Kings as they undergo their own culture change.
The contract is reasonable as well. The Kings have the money to spend and retained flexibility with the length of the contract to pay their young players down the line. Another aspect Hill brings is trade value. Whether it be injury or just valuing Hill’s game and experience for a postseason run, contenders will be willing to offer picks for his services. If the Kings are out of playoff contention, Hill could net a nice return that sets the team up for the future.
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Final Thoughts
Either way, Kings fans should be excited about the signing of George Hill. He makes the team better, provides leadership to a young roster, and won’t impact their minutes as much as you would think. Hill, along with Zach Randolph, are two smart additions to am increasingly impressive offseason.