2016-17 Season In Review: New Orleans Pelicans Frontcourt

Mar 31, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) celebrates from the bench with forward DeMarcus Cousins (0) during the fourth quarter of a game against the Sacramento Kings at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Kings 117-89. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

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Feb 12, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Solomon Hill (44) drives in against Sacramento Kings forward Matt Barnes (22) during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

Solomon Hill

29.7 MPG | 7.0 PPG | 3.8 RPG | 1.8 APG

Solomon Hill as brought in on a $48 million contract in the offseason with the intent of assuming the role as the Pelicans’ main defensive stopper on the perimeter. He was often tasked with defending the opposing team’s perimeter best player and did so fairly well.

What Hill was able to provide defensively, he pretty much balanced out offensively. Aside from a few surprise performances this season — like his 23-point outing against the Memphis Grizzlies right before the All-Star break or his 30-point night against Houston in mid-March (both wins and the only times he scored more than 20 points this season) — Hill was atrocious on that side of the ball.

For an all-year starter, Hill ranked seventh on the team in scoring with 7.0 points per game and shot at 38.4 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from three.

Like many of his Pelicans this season, Hill had a lot of up and down games. He didn’t always play with the same assertiveness and intensity night-to-night. However, If he can continue to embrace his role as one of the defensive leaders on the team, improve and consistently assert his offense, then he’ll have a strong chance to stick around next season and beyond.

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