Indiana Pacers: Will George Hill Make the Leap In 2015-16?

The 2014-15 season was a roller coaster ride for Indiana Pacers point guard George Hill.

Statistically speaking, Hill had a career season, averaging career highs in points, assists and rebounds per game. However, he appeared in only 43 contests due to multiple injuries.

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Hill wasn’t the only Pacer who missed a substantial amount of time last season. The team’s best player, Paul George, missed virtually the entire season with a broken leg. In George’s absence, it was Hill who stepped up to help fill the void — when he was healthy.

Now healthy, Hill enters the 2015-16 NBA season with higher expectations than ever before. But pressure is nothing new to Hill.

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Throughout his career in Indiana, he has constantly been the target of unfair criticism comparing him to Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs. In 2011, the Pacers drafted Leonard with the 15th pick of the NBA Draft, and then traded him to the Spurs for Hill.

At the time, it seemed like a good move for the Pacers. In three seasons in San Antonio, Hill established himself as one of head coach Gregg Popovich’s favorite players. Normally, trading the 15th pick for a long-term starting point guard is the right decision.

What nobody saw coming was the superstar emergence of Leonard. Leonard was from a Mountain West Conference school, and thus wasn’t as highly touted as other prospects. But the Spurs, being the Spurs, saw the potential. Leonard clicked in San Antonio’s system, and went on to win Defensive Player of the Year and be named the Finals MVP.

Feb 9, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich (front) gets a hug from Indiana Pacers guard George Hill (facing camera) after getting his 1,000 career win at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. San Antonio defeats Indiana 95-93. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Hill may not have superstar potential like Leonard, but he does have the ability to become a very good player for the Pacers. At his best, Hill could become an All-Star guard in the Eastern Conference.

Hill put up career numbers last season because he became more aggressive. The absence of George and departure of Lance Stephenson via free agency forced Hill to handle the ball more and take on a larger role in the Pacers offense.

Hill responded by taking more shots — a career high 12.4 attempts per game — and shooting 48 percent from the field. He averaged 16.1 points, 5.1 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game while posting a 21.51 Player Efficiency Rating.

For comparison, Kyrie Irving, considered by many to be the best point guard in the Eastern Conference, averaged 21.7 points, 5.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game while posting a 21.57 PER last season. John Wall, another elite Eastern Conference point guard, averaged 17.6 points, 10 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game, but had a lower PER (19.92).

But as good as Hill was last season, there’s still room for improvement. With the return of George and addition of Monta Ellis, it will be tempting for Hill to take a backseat offensively and allow others to take charge. However, if the Pacers are going to have a successful season, Hill must remain aggressive on the offensive end.

Why?

First, there are a lot of question marks surrounding George. Before his injury, George was a top-10 player in the league. However, after missing all of last season except for the final six games, nobody knows for sure what to expect from him next season.

George says he wants to win the MVP in 2016, and has looked good throwing down between-the-legs dunks this offseason, but in reality he may return at 85 percent of what he was two seasons ago. If that’s the case, the Pacers will need someone to step up and help fill the remaining 15 percent — and Hill is that player.

Second, the Pacers need a consistent third option on offense who is capable of putting up 20 to 25 points when needed. If George does return at 100 percent, he will be scoring option No. 1. Assuming Ellis is option No. 2, Hill should be option 2A. Hill wouldn’t be expected to carry the load offensively every night, but he could if options 1 and 2 weren’t working.

Until this point, Hill’s time with the Pacers has been dominated by big lineups and slow tempo. That will change next season, when the team transitions to a smaller lineup and faster style of play.

The Pacers want to score more points, and a faster tempo will allow Hill to build upon the career year he had a season ago. Furthermore, George and Ellis will take some of the defensive attention off of Hill, which will result in better looks for the point guard.

The question really isn’t whether or not George will see a spike in production, but rather, will it be enough to land him a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star Team roster?

I believe Hill will make the jump next season and enter the upper-tier of Eastern Conference point guards. A smaller lineup and faster tempo better suits Hill’s style of play, and he will be able to flourish offensively. It’s purely speculation, but I have a feeling that the 2015-16 season will be the best of Hill’s career. We’ll find out soon enough.

Note: All statistics courtesy of ESPN Stats.

Next: Will Smaller Lineup Work for Pacers?

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