New Orleans Pelicans To Sign Solomon Hill To 4-Year Deal

The New Orleans Pelicans made their free agency splash, netting former Pacers forward Solomon Hill to a four-year deal worth $52 million.

With one big contract to give out in free agency, the New Orleans Pelicans had to be very particular with where they wanted to go. In the end, the Pelicans opted to go for a defensive upgrade, agreeing to sign former Indiana Pacers forward Solomon Hill to a four-year deal worth $52 million.

The Pelicans opted to rebuild their defense, rather than going after someone who can help the offense like Chandler Parsons.

More from New Orleans Pelicans

After the Pacers declined Hill’s team option to make him an unrestricted free agent, the Pacers looked smart. Hill went on to average just 4.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game on 44 percent shooting from the floor in just three starts last season.

So why did he get a multiyear deal worth $50+ million?

Hill’s numbers jumped in the playoffs, averaging 7.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting 57 percent from three in his seven-game series against the Toronto Raptors.

He combined his ability to defend multiple positions with some timely floor spacing. Indiana’s declining his offer turned out to be the wrong move as Hill became a targeted free agent early in the process, ultimately choosing New Orleans.

This deal could be broken down with the really good positives and the potentially harmful negatives.

Hill is a good defensive player. His size — 6’7″ with a 6’9″ wingspan and some size to his frame — allows him to play both small forward and power forward. New Orleans has been without an ideal small-ball power forward since the league moved towards smaller lineups. Now, New Orleans has a curveball after years of trying to get away with a fastball and slider.

The additions of Hill, E’Twaun Moore and Langston Galloway give New Orleans some versatile defenders to plant around Quincy Pondexter, Omer Asik, Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis. Individually, Hill is a good defender who can hold his own on the perimeter, in the post, and he fits New Orleans’ age scheme around Davis, entering his age-25 season and locked in until he hits his age-29 season.

The downside, however, could really hurt New Orleans. Hill has never been a good offensive player on a team that really needed one in Indiana. In retrospect, he would’ve been the perfect piece, considering the Pacers acquired someone like Thaddeus Young to play a ton of small-ball power forward. His one big season consisted of 39 percent shooting and 32 percent shooting in 2014-15.

I’m also not sure if those shooting numbers can stick. That 57 percent is a good mark, but on just 19 attempts, there’s really nothing that suggests him to be even a league average shooter. If he’s not a league average shooter from three, then he hurts the Pelicans more than you think.

If he’s the starting small forward with Asik starting at center, that’s two players who have to operate on the weak side and have to operate to in conventional ways to get their offense.

If Hill can’t stretch the floor, then it’s tough to see him filling in that role as someone who can help New Orleans at the 3 and 4 positions. He’d be a — highly overpaid — defensive specialist, which would be an issue and fit in a long line of bad Pelicans contracts.

More hoops habit: The Many Ripple Effects Of Dwyane Wade's Bulls Decision

Overall, Hill could be a great addition because his ability to defend several positions, but if he can’t space the floor, the Pelicans signed someone who might not be able to produce at a level similar to his 2015-16 postseason production and that could be an issue.

Home/New Orleans Pelicans

New Orleans Pelicans To Sign Solomon Hill To A 4-Year Deal

By Quentin Haynes | Jul 8, 2016

The New Orleans Pelicans made their free agency splash, netting former Pacers forward Solomon Hill to a four-year deal worth $52 million.