NBA Free Agency 2017 Player Profile: George Hill
By Ti Windisch
![May 2, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Utah Jazz guard George Hill (3) shoots the basketball against Golden State Warriors center Zaza Pachulia (27) during the third quarter in game one of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Jazz 106-94. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports May 2, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Utah Jazz guard George Hill (3) shoots the basketball against Golden State Warriors center Zaza Pachulia (27) during the third quarter in game one of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Jazz 106-94. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/0ba07f3882c320e55bb7916b3af0bac48ba30780451f88a02cb1efa845aad844.jpg)
Salary
Hill’s injury history and age might spook some teams, but it won’t spook every team. This man is going to get paid by somebody, and probably substantially so. Looking at the number of potential suitors can help to give an idea of why.
First and foremost, the Jazz want their man back. Hayward is the biggest priority, but Hill is 1b. The reason is that Utah won’t be able to pay another point guard since they likely won’t have cap space, so the only ways they could upgrade from Hill are through trades or the draft.
No rookie will be as good as George Hill, especially where Utah is picking, and the best Jazz trade chip that they’d actually move is Derrick Favors, who isn’t bringing back a point guard of Hill’s caliber.
Beyond Utah, there are plenty of teams that could use a point guard. The Philadelphia 76ers comes to mind, as do better teams like the San Antonio Spurs, who could bring back Hill years after moving him for Kawhi Leonard.
He isn’t going to get a max deal (probably), but Hill isn’t getting underpaid either, unless he choses to take less than he could get, which is always an option.