Jordan Hill's Contract Option Not Picked Up by Lakers: Details and Reaction
The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly decided not to pick up the final year of big man Jordan Hill's contract, which would have paid him $9 million in 2015-16.
Sean Deveney of Sporting News heard the news from a source Monday. RealGM's Shams Charania cited a source of his own who said Hill would hit the open market when free agency opens this Wednesday.
Bleacher Report's Ethan Norof analyzed what the reported decision will mean for L.A. moving forward:
"This was the expectation. Jordan Hill will not be back with #Lakers. Tarik Black will take his role. https://t.co/Mc77tZeuYV
— Ethan Norof (@Mr_Norof) June 29, 2015"
After the 2014-15 campaign was over, Hill concurred with head coach Byron Scott's assessment of his season.
"[Scott] was disappointed," Hill said, per the Los Angeles Times' Eric Pincus. "He wanted to see more energy from me this year, which I didn't show. I agree with him. The first month, I was showing [energy]. It was the first time I had all these minutes on my hands."
Hill is talented and has made 89 starts for the Lakers over the past two seasons, but the team has been woeful in that span. The 27-year-old is too expensive for a former lottery pick who hasn't lived up to his draft billing.
Once the Lakers drafted Ohio State star guard D'Angelo Russell No. 2, the presumption has been that L.A. will chase a marquee frontcourt free agent. It would have been a slight shock to see Hill still on the payroll with such a high salary given the spending power the Lakers stand to gain by declining his option.
With a deft shooting touch, flashes of a solid post game and a knack for crashing the boards, Hill should garner interest as a free agent. He'll be hard-pressed to expect anything in the neighborhood of a $9 million annual salary, though.
