NBA Free Agency 2017: 5 players that signed with the wrong team

3. George Hill to the Sacramento Kings

After a productive (16.9 points per game) but injury-shortened (49 games) 2016-17 season with the Utah Jazz, Hill was one of the top free agent point guards this offseason. With rumored interest from the Los Angeles Lakers, the Denver Nuggets and others, he ultimately got a three-year, $57 million deal with the Kings.

But Sam Amick of USA Today reported the final year of Hill’s deal is only partially guaranteed, bringing the full guaranteed amount down to $40 million. That’s still nothing to sneeze at, but the contract details are worth noting since Hill is 31 years old and has played less than 50 games in two of the last three seasons.

Hill could have signed a one-year deal with the Lakers, mentored Lonzo Ball and hit the market again next offseason. He’ll enter into a similar rookie mentorship situation in Sacramento, with No. 5 overall pick De’Aaron Fox, and Hill is in line to do it (and split minutes) for at least two years. Before too long next season, it’s easy to see Fox starting and proving worthy of significant minutes no matter how the Kings are doing in the standings. Hill could become a highly-paid bench player, which if he’s healthy will be nice for him I suppose.

A little further down the point guard depth chart for the Kings, let’s not forget about Frank Mason. The reigning National Player of the Year was a rare four-year guy at Kansas, and while that could be considered a detriment he improved each year. He had two pre-draft workouts for Sacramento, and then they took him, so Mason clearly has something the organization likes. It will probably take an injury to Hill for Mason to play much as a rookie, but recent history makes that a real possibility.

Hill got close to the same contract Jeff Teague did on the open market. But the opportunity is far better for Teague in Minnesota than it will be for Hill in Sacramento, and Hill probably did not have to settle for a fluid playing time situation.