Lakers Rumors: George Hill To L.A.? Free Agent Guard Might Sign 1-Year Deal To Mentor Lonzo Ball
The latest Los Angeles Lakers rumors suggest that the team is looking for an experienced point guard to mentor second-overall pick Lonzo Ball as he gets his feet wet in the NBA. Moreover, while earlier reports hinted at the more established, but recently-slumping Rajon Rondo as a potential free agent signee, it now appears that Los Angeles is targeting another veteran point guard in free agency — erstwhile Utah Jazz starter George Hill.
Earlier this afternoon, NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweeted that Hill, who was still able to post career-best numbers in an injury-riddled 2016-17 season, is in talks with the Lakers in Los Angeles, with both sides hoping to work out a one-year deal. “Woj” added that both Hill’s representatives and the Lakers are “serious on (the) possibility” of the 31-year-old Hill serving as a veteran mentor to point guard Lonzo Ball, who comes to the Lakers with great hype after a sensational freshman year at UCLA.
Minutes later, Wojnarowski’s ESPN colleague Ramona Shelburne tweeted that Lakers rumors are pointing to a scenario where Hill and Ball could both play in the starting lineup as dual lead guards.
For Lakers, Hill on 1-year deal gives Lonzo Ball a vet mentor — and preserves cap space for next summer. Both sides serious on possibility. https://t.co/FgcbuY4fUa
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2017
Lakers envision a scenario in which Hill and Lonzo could start as lead guards, per source https://t.co/mSgR9DVgPc
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 3, 2017
A product of Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), George Hill has been a starter since the 2012-13 season with the Indiana Pacers, and in his first year with the Utah Jazz in 2016-17, he averaged a career-best 16.9 points, adding 3.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, while shooting 40.3 percent from beyond the arc. He was, however, limited to only 49 games due to nagging injuries.
Before the new Lakers rumors on George Hill possibly joining the team, reports suggested that the youthful Lakers were targeting Rajon Rondo as a free agent signing. As the Inquisitr reported yesterday, Rondo could potentially be a good fit as a veteran addition to the team and a possible mentor to Ball. However, with Rondo likely looking to play significant minutes after a down year with the Chicago Bulls, it’s not sure whether he’ll be amenable to playing what could be an even more limited role for the Lakers.
The Lakers rumor mill also points to the team chasing other guards in free agency, particularly Dion Waiters, who had last played for the Miami Heat. Lakers Nation wrote that the team was set to meet with Waiters on Sunday night, thus giving Los Angeles a veteran shooter to shore up the backcourt, if he ends up signing a deal. Like George Hill did for the Jazz, Waiters had a solid 2016-17 campaign for Miami, as he averaged 15.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists as the Heat’s starting shooting guard.
[Featured Image by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images]
