With Utah Jazz’s George Hill pending unrestricted free agency this summer, don’t expect the Brooklyn Nets to entertain max or near-max offers for the soon-to-be 31-year-old point guard.
When looking at impending restricted and unrestricted free agents for the summer of 2017, one key takeaway from observations around the Brooklyn Nets is their commitment to a systematic and patient approach.
General manager Sean Marks, who, in recent weeks, spoke to the media and a one-on-one with YES Network‘s Sarah Kustok, preached the importance of not cutting any corners and remaining as flexible as possible year-after-year.
Yet, Utah Jazz point guard George Hill, who turns 31 on May 4, has been a topic of conversation by many Nets fans as the season winded down. He’s been seen as a “X-factor” in many of the Jazz’s recent winnings, most notably playing some hard-nosed defense against Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
But, Drew Mackay of Purple And Blues thinks Hill’s up-and-down play throughout the season may not warrant the type of contract his representatives are saying is out there in the open market.
"“Utah was able to offer all of its cap space this season, nearly $14 million, with over $24 million per year covering an additional three years to total $88.3 million. For context, the former San Antonio Spur and Indiana Pacer had earned $45.3 million over his career to this point.“On an annual basis that would have paid Hill more than every point guard in the game outside of Russell Westbrook, Mike Conley and basically the same as Damian Lillard.“However, based on the advice of Hill’s representatives, Hill is seeking a deal similar to Conley’s. His camp reportedly believes he will be able to sign a four-year, $132 million deal via free agency.”"
So, it seems that the door could be open for a team with cap space, like the Brooklyn Nets, to throw the kitchen sink at a player like Hill. Not so fast.
While George Hill has been averaging a career-best 16.9 points per game and shooting 47.7 percent from the field, his cap hit could be a major detriment to the Nets’ flexibility and development.
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Sure, many fans are calling for the signing of a player like George Hill, but is the possible asking price of $132 million over the course of four years worth the stranglehold on your future cap?
If we’re going with the “Sean Marks-ian” approach, the answer would be no. Despite the need for multiple ball handlers in the Nets’ motion offense run by head coach Kenny Atkinson, a more affordable target of CSKA Moscow point guard Milos Teodosic or even Hill’s successor in Indiana Jeff Teague would be reasonable options while keeping an eye toward flexibility and player maneuvering at any given point in the season.
Not saying Hill’s production could take a turn for the worst, despite playing a career-low 49 regular season games, but, the Nets need to understand their positioning in the Eastern Conference.
Even Mackay notes, despite the notion of “overpaying to keep your guys intact,” that the Jazz may have to commit money to other future expiring contracts instead of sealing a long-term deal with Hill.
"“But the issue with a small market team committing to $80 million annually to Gordon Hayward, Rudy Gobert and George Hill is extensions coming up for Rodney Hood, Dante Exum and Trey Lyles. Additionally, no one should ignore the impact Joe Ingles is having on the season, and he is also a free agent.“The luxury tax hurts so much more without deep playoff appearances and championships.”"
Mackay’s point of paying the luxury tax while being a fringe-playoff team is a hard pill to swallow. While the Nets may be more competitive in the short-term, signing a player like Hill to a $132 million deal may not be the right decision to have some sort of relevance in the NBA.
Rather, focus on the under-the-radar guys — ones that can outperform the life of a contract, or even ones with the competitive edge to come on a one-year deal, seeking a future payday that the Nets may find worthwhile.
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For Marks, flexibility is key, especially when not having your first rounder in the 2018 NBA Draft. It’s all about developing that core, bringing high-character guys in and securing a solid foundation before thinking a max free agent is your missing link to being a championship-caliber team.