Lakers' Jordan Hill Would Be Gone If Mike D'Antoni Stayed

If Mike D’Antoni remained head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, the team would have not have re-signed big man Jordan Hill during the NBA‘s free agency period

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Los Angeles Lakers’ big man Jordan Hill is coming off of the best season of his career. He averaged 9.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while shooting 54.9% from the field and 68.5% from the free throw line last season.

In the offseason, the Lakers rewarded Jordan Hill with a two-year, $18 million deal. Many believed that was a lot of money for a player like Jordan Hill but the Lakers seemed pleased with the move.

However, had the Lakers not fired head coach Mike D’Antoni, Jordan Hill doesn’t believe he’d still be in Los Angeles.

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

Although it didn’t seem to be anything personal, the two clashed over the way D’Antoni used his big men, especially Jordan Hill, which is what prompted those comments.

Instead, the Lakers went through a lengthy process and wound hiring a former Laker player in Byron Scott. He previously coached the New Jersey (Brooklyn) Nets, New Orleans Hornets (Pelicans) and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Jordan Hill is clearly very happy with that decision.

“Last year, I was thinking too much about playing,” Hill said. “If I messed up, I wondered if I would see the floor again. Right now, Byron is relying on me and I’m one of his guys. That really builds more confidence in me to come out this year and play my game.”

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Los Angeles Lakers’ Jordan Hill Would Be Gone If Mike D’Antoni Stayed

By Andrew Melnick | Oct 22, 2014

If Mike D’Antoni remained head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, the team would have not have re-signed big man Jordan Hill during the NBA‘s free agency period

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