Jordan Hill Showing Los Angeles Lakers That He's Worth the Money

The Los Angeles Lakers surprised some observers last summer when they re-signed Jordan Hill to a two-year contract worth $18 million. Now, just seven games into the regular season, the 27-year-old is showing that he’s worth the money.

The purple and gold may not be blazing a path to the playoffs at present, but Hill is posting solid numbers as their second-leading scorer, averaging 14.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.4 blocks per game.

Moreover, he has added something to his arsenal. The big man has become a bit of a shooter of late—often stepping out beyond his traditional painted territory and sinking mid-range set shots with aplomb. 

It doesn’t always work. With 29 seconds left and a three-point deficit against the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 11, Hill fired one off instead of passing to Kobe Bryant, who was riding a hot streak late in the game.

Hill missed, and the face of the franchise favored him with a death stare. The narrative isn’t always clean and simple—the Lakers lost the game and dropped to 1-6.

"

A Jordan Hill midrange jumper is never the go-to in that situation... and I LIKE Jordan Hill !

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) November 12, 2014"

Hill won't be dethroning the Mamba as the team’s points leader anytime soon, but he is trying to lend a needed element of balance.

After a recent practice, per Joey Ramirez of Lakers.com, head coach Byron Scott spoke about the need to lighten Bryant’s offensive load: “It’s one of those things where there’s no specific formula just because every game has its own personality. So tomorrow might be Jordan Hill’s night or whatever.”

The 6’10” center may actually have more than the occasional good night if recent efforts are a reliable indicator. He’s decimating his stats from the previous five seasons, and it's not only in the scoring column. On Nov. 9, Hill added seven assists to his 12 points during the team’s first win of the season, beating the Charlotte Hornets 107-92.

He is also adding variety to his bread-and-butter power-post slams with better spins and fakes and solid footwork.

Despite his pricey new contract, however, Hill isn’t a shoo-in for next season—the second year of his agreement is a team option.

It will be another year of trying to prove his worth for a former draft lottery pick who is only now emerging as a legitimate starter in the league.

Hill was selected as the No. 8 overall pick by the New York Knicks in 2009 but only played 24 games for then-coach Mike D’Antoni before being sent packing to the Houston Rockets. After the trade, D’Antoni summed up his lack of love, saying, per Marc Berman of the New York Post, “I don’t like to play bad rookies.”

The oft-injured young player averaged just 16 minutes per game in Houston before being traded to the Lakers in 2012. After missing most of the season with a right MCL injury, Hill showed his potential through two rounds of playoffs, collecting 6.3 rebounds in 18 minutes per game.

But the following season, Lakers coach Mike Brown was replaced by none other than D’Antoni. And once again, a defensive-minded post player found himself collecting table scraps in a small-ball system.

Nonetheless, Hill averaged 9.7 points and 7.4 rebounds off the bench. There were also some showcase moments, such as the night he got a rare start and dropped 28 points against the Orlando Magic.

And when summer rolled around after a 27-55 disaster, Hill found himself the beneficiary of a new contract as D’Antoni exited stage left.

Don’t think for a moment that deal would have happened if the old sheriff had still been in town.

As Hill said recently, per Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, “If Mike was here, I wouldn’t be back. That’s the way it was. No disrespect to Mike, but apparently I didn’t fit his system. Why would I come back?”

The kinetic frontcourt player isn’t content to remain true to old habits, however. As Medina notes, Hill stopped drinking alcohol, dropped 13 pounds and got into shape over the summer. In the former Arizona Wildcat's own words:

"

It was that time to step out of my old ways and to grow up. Now I feel really, really good. I can run and down more often. My wind is back. My body feels good. I feel like I could go for days.

"

The 2014-15 model has found a better home in Scott's old-school system. But he is also becoming a player whom D’Antoni might have appreciated more had the two found a more common ground.

Hill is not yet up there with the elite frontcourt players of the league—his stats are solid but certainly not eye-popping. Then again, his $9 million per year—while a big bump from last season’s $3,563,600—doesn't even register in the upper stratosphere of NBA salaries.

The Lakers’ starting center remains a work in progress while showing significant improvement across the board. With Los Angeles still in the early stages of building a team for the future, Hill is showing he was worth the raise.

The season is still in its infancy, and the Lakers are trying to climb out of the Western Conference cellar. There will be more losses and more frustration, and each and every player on the roster will be examined through the circumspect lens that accompanies down cycles for organizations used to life at the top.

But one player has taken giant steps from his inauspicious rookie season.

As Jordan Hill himself said, it was time to grow up.