NBA Rumors: Lakers Have No Plans To Trade Jordan Hill
Despite trade calls, the Lakers have no interest in trading Jordan Hill.
The trade season in the NBA is fully among us. In the next few weeks, there’ll likely be leaks about players who are drawing a lot of interest from outside parties.
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A bit early to the interest party is Lakers forward Jordan Hill who Sporting News says has drawn a lot of interest around the league despite the Lakers not being ready to part ways with him.
"A contract that once looked overwrought now appears eminently fair, to the point where the Lakers are considered likely to exercise the $9 million option they hold on Hill’s deal next season. On a roster widely viewed as devoid of trade assets, sources told Sporting News that Hill is the one guy about whom the Lakers get realistic trade calls—but that LA has no plans to move him."
Jordan Hill is an interesting player. At this stage in his career, Hill will never pan out as a guy who could be the second or third best player on a championship contender, but he’s proven to be a sound role player who could contribute to whomever vies for his services.
The $10 million tag for Hill isn’t great — he doesn’t necessarily excel on either side of the ball, but on a two-year deal (a player option the second), he’d allow flexibility for whoever acquires him.
If the Lakers never choose to deal Hill (for a bad team, nothing’s off the table), this could be indication that the franchise is still planning to make a splash in the summer of 2016 when Kobe Bryant’s contracts come off the books and the superstar presumably retires. With Hill’s contract also gone, the Lakers could have enough space for nearly two max players to carry the immediate torch in the post-Bryant era.
This season, Hill is averaging career-highs in points (13.0), rebounds (9.0), assists (1.6), blocks (1.0), and Player Efficiency Rating (19.3).