An Indy Perspective on George Hill’s Fit with the Utah Jazz
By Ryan Aston
The Utah Jazz used their No. 12 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft to acquire veteran point guard George Hill from the Indiana Pacers in a three-way deal.
In the days before the 2016 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz were faced with choosing from a less-than-inspiring group of potential draftees with their pick at the back-end of the lottery. So, rather than bring on yet another young player, Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey made the move to deal the pick for veteran point man George Hill.
The trade has been met with overwhelming praise from hoops critics and fans alike; Purple & Blues writer Jared Woodcox said, “With the bold move to add Hill, it’s pretty clear that the Jazz are poised and set to begin making the necessary moves to add the talent they need to win.”
But how do people in Indiana feel about Hill’s move to the Jazz?
In order to get some outside perspective on the trade and Utah’s newest combo guard, we we went to somebody that’s watched Hill play more times than I’ve seen Star Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Spoiler alert: that number is higher than I’m comfortable to admit publicly.
Christian Dudley, who covers the NBA for ESPN Louisville, as well as Blu3WorldOrder.com, and has contributed to Amico Hoops and Beale Street Bears, is an Indy native and has a unique perspective on Hill’s time with the Pacers.
This is his take on Utah’s move to bring Hill to the Jazz–
George Hill is an excellent veteran combo guard. He thrived in San Antonio to start his NBA career and he showed that he plays best as a shooting guard.
From the Spurs, to his hometown Indianapolis he went to play for the Pacers. He was a star of the city and is a major reason for the Pacers’ success over the past five or so seasons.
Hill and the Pacers had their ups and downs. “G3” never became the All-Star that the team has desperately wanted at the point guard position. However, he was consistent and he produced on both ends of the floor. Hill was an energizer, who came up big in clutch moments.
Despite not becoming an All-Star, he has been more than a role player. Actually, he has been underrated.
Now as a member of the Utah Jazz, Hill can contribute in a variety of ways. He can start at either guard position. He is also a fine choice as a sixth-man that can provide a spark immediately off the bench.
Hill takes pride in protecting his home floor. The Jazz have a tremendous home crowd, even for regular season games. No matter how talented of a squad Utah has, the fans show up and support their players. G3 will love his time as a member of the Jazz because of this.
Plus, the team is young and promising. Perhaps more so than the Indy teammates he has just left behind.
Hill once called out the Indy home crowd for cheering for the Lakers rather than the Pacers. He cut deep into the hearts of fans because they did not expect him to make that kind of public statement. This goes to show that G3 will play his heart out for the team that is printed across his jersey and he expects the same in return from the fans.
All in all, Jazz fans can expect at least 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal per game. He is an excellent free-throw shooter at 80 percent for his career average. When shots from the charity stripe must be made, you can absolutely count on Hill.
As a negative, Hill is not a bulky guard. He is lightweight; however he has long and lanky arms. His wingspan helps him defensively, though there will be games where he gets lit up by elite scorers. Thankfully Utah has other defensive stoppers on the roster to step up whenever he has an off game.
Jazz fans should expect a lot from Hill. He is in his prime and he can do a little bit of everything offensively. He can create his own shot at times, but more than anything, he can knock down the three-point jumper (nearly 41 percent in 2015-16).
The most beneficial aspect of having George Hill in a Jazz uniform is the experience he packs. From being a Spur to helping the Pacers achieve multiple trips to the Eastern Conference Finals, Hill has been a regular to the postseason.
Overall, embrace George Hill, Jazz fans. If you do, he will give you his all, and that is what you want from a veteran on a young, promising team.
Next: Utah Jazz Draft Weber State's Joel Bolomboy
Follow Christian on Twitter @ChristianDudley.