Should The Lakers Exercise Jordan Hill’s Team Option?
By Mehdi Bouneb
With only nine games remaining in the regular season for the Los Angeles Lakers and with the fourth-worst record in the NBA, they are set to head to the lottery for the second straight season.
The Lakers currently have seven players who will hit the free agent market on July 1, 2015. The projected cap space for the 2015/16 season is set to climb to $67 million. Ed Davis has a player option but will surely decline it in hopes of being re-signed to a long-term deal. Jordan Hill has a team option and it will be interesting to see what Lakers management decides to do with Hill.
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The Lakers have approximately $37 million in guaranteed contracts, and that would leave them with $30 million to spend. Let’s examine what are the Lakers’ options when free agency comes around.
Jordan Hill is making a case for the Lakers to exercise his option. Hill is averaging 12.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 27.5 minutes per game, all career highs. Jordan Hill is at his best when he plays within five feet of the basket as he averages 59-percent of his attempts from that distance. He has also developed a decent mid-range game, averaging 40-percent between 15 and 24 feet.
Hill expressed his interest in staying with the Lakers and hopes to call Los Angeles his home for the long-term:
“I want to be here. I want to be in a steady place I call home”.
Jordan Hill returned to the bench on Sunday when visiting the Brooklyn Nets and tallied 22 points, 16 rebounds, and a block shot. Despite Hill’s strong game, coach Byron Scott expects more from his big man:
“I still think he can play harder. That’s one thing I’m a little disappointed in. From last year on the outside looking in, I thought he was a real energy guy. I don’t think he is that right now. But he has to get to that point”
Hill tends to fall in love with his jumper and shies away from playing inside, even when his shot doesn’t connect. Hill is much more effective in the post, despite lacking an arsenal of post-moves. Defensively, Hill is not the best defender but he isn’t terrible either. He averages 5.6 rebounds, 0.8 blocks, and 0.5 steals.
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Should the Lakers exercise Jordan Hill’s team option, they would only have around $21 million to spend in the free agent market. This would put the Lakers in a difficult position as they would not have much spending power and this could potentially slow down their rebuild.
However, this is where the beauty of the team option comes in. The Lakers can decide to decline Hill’s team option and would therefore have approximately $30 million to spend. This will give the Lakers more wiggle room to play with in order to sign a free agent to a max contract, and to also add role players in order to build a strong roster for what is likely Kobe Bryant‘s last season.
The Lakers have shown continuous interest in Goran Dragic as he was a trade target all season long, until the Miami Heat concocted a trade with the Phoenix Suns. Rajon Rondo is also a viable option at the point guard position.
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Depending on where the Lakers land in the NBA Draft Lottery, this would dictate their further moves in free agency. If they were to pick a big man such as Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor, then letting Jordan Hill walk away would be a smart move for the future if Hill is not part of the Lakers’ plans. However, if they were to pick a guard, then exercising Jordan Hill’s option would be a smart move.
An important offseason looms ahead for the Los Angeles Lakers, and their decision to exercise or decline Jordan Hill’s team option would be crucial to their rebuilding aspirations.