Wolves agree to deal with jordan hill

[Phenom]

The Wolves will be playing about 106 games next season. I know many people expect a neat little depth chart but over that many games there are matchup differences, energy deficiencies, fouls, and other things to deal with on top of any injuries.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

This happens every year. We wring our hands wondering how on earth we're going to give the guys minutes and then, sure enough, we end up going to the scrap heap for things called Gelabales, Adriens, Onuwakueas, Kirkpatricks, and large sloth-like characters that were team mates of Bjelica back home.

If Jordan Hill doesn't see any time, that's a GOOD thing. While his deal is a bargain, he really isn't that great. But I have a feeling we'll see plenty of him anyway....No way do these guys all stay healthy.

Great post, Q. I'm thrilled when I think about the depth of this roster compared to other years. 2 of our 8 bigs are going to be inactive every game, so the roster isn't that out of balance...6 bigs, and 7 wings and PGs. I agree that in a perfect situation, Jordan Hill seldom gets off the bench. But if we incur lots of injuries with our big men, let's celebrate that it will be Hill filling in and not some of the other clowns we have had to play recently.

[SameOldNudityDrew]

This happens every year. We wring our hands wondering how on earth we're going to give the guys minutes and then, sure enough, we end up going to the scrap heap for things called Gelabales, Adriens, Onuwakueas, Kirkpatricks, and large sloth-like characters that were team mates of Bjelica back home.

If Jordan Hill doesn't see any time, that's a GOOD thing. While his deal is a bargain, he really isn't that great. But I have a feeling we'll see plenty of him anyway....No way do these guys all stay healthy.

Great post, Q. I'm thrilled when I think about the depth of this roster compared to other years. 2 of our 8 bigs are going to be inactive every game, so the roster isn't that out of balance...6 bigs, and 7 wings and PGs. I agree that in a perfect situation, Jordan Hill seldom gets off the bench. But if we incur lots of injuries with our big men, let's celebrate that it will be Hill filling in and not some of the other clowns we have had to play recently.

Yes, this is obviously a good "problem" to have. As I said, I like depth. Particularly with the 3 guys, Aldrich, Bjelica, and Hill.

My wariness comes from 3 things: expectations, value, and chemistry.

1) In terms of expectations, people on the board here including me were excited about Aldrich showing what he can do in a few more minutes per game. And after signing Hill, people in this thread speculated on him getting 20-25 minutes. But we have also been excited to see improvement from Belly--who I agree should get some minutes at the 3 now, but remember he played about 10 total minutes at the 3 last year. So we can't expect Aldrich, Bjelica, and Hill to get nearly as many minutes as people seem to be expecting. Again, I'm not even counting Payne, Pek, and KG here.

2) In terms of value, let's remember to consider the value of these contracts in light of the fact that they will not be 20-25 minutes per game guys. There's still value in insurance for bigs. But it's not quite as much value as 20 productive minutes on the floor nightly when one of these three guys is racking up DNP-CDs and another getting 10 minutes.

3) Hill complained after getting 20 minutes per game last year, so how's he going to respond this year if he seldom gets off the bench? How will Aldrich and Bjelica respond when getting fewer minutes than before? Plus Payne not getting off the bench thinking about his career in his 3rd year. I'm not worried about KG and Pek's attitudes, but with enough of these other guys, I'm just a little wary given their expectations for themselves. Hill is definitely better than some random D Leaguer, but random D Leaguers tend not to complain about minutes because they're just happy to be there. And grumbling players in the locker room can hurt chemistry.

So yeah, I'm happy about the depth, and you guys have explained it well. But the situation just makes me raise my eyebrows a bit. Going from 12 to 15 players was about adding injury insurance, but adding Aldrich AND Hill with the new cap it seems like we've filled one an insurance slot with a rotation player. It's nice to have in a basketball sense, don't get me wrong, but I'm just a little wary.

[Monster]

This happens every year. We wring our hands wondering how on earth we're going to give the guys minutes and then, sure enough, we end up going to the scrap heap for things called Gelabales, Adriens, Onuwakueas, Kirkpatricks, and large sloth-like characters that were team mates of Bjelica back home.

If Jordan Hill doesn't see any time, that's a GOOD thing. While his deal is a bargain, he really isn't that great. But I have a feeling we'll see plenty of him anyway....No way do these guys all stay healthy.

Great post, Q. I'm thrilled when I think about the depth of this roster compared to other years. 2 of our 8 bigs are going to be inactive every game, so the roster isn't that out of balance...6 bigs, and 7 wings and PGs. I agree that in a perfect situation, Jordan Hill seldom gets off the bench. But if we incur lots of injuries with our big men, let's celebrate that it will be Hill filling in and not some of the other clowns we have had to play recently.

Yes, this is obviously a good "problem" to have. As I said, I like depth. Particularly with the 3 guys, Aldrich, Bjelica, and Hill.

My wariness comes from 3 things: expectations, value, and chemistry.

1) In terms of expectations, people on the board here including me were excited about Aldrich showing what he can do in a few more minutes per game. And after signing Hill, people in this thread speculated on him getting 20-25 minutes. But we have also been excited to see improvement from Belly--who I agree should get some minutes at the 3 now, but remember he played about 10 total minutes at the 3 last year. So we can't expect Aldrich, Bjelica, and Hill to get nearly as many minutes as people seem to be expecting. Again, I'm not even counting Payne, Pek, and KG here.

2) In terms of value, let's remember to consider the value of these contracts in light of the fact that they will not be 20-25 minutes per game guys. There's still value in insurance for bigs. But it's not quite as much value as 20 productive minutes on the floor nightly when one of these three guys is racking up DNP-CDs and another getting 10 minutes.

3) Hill complained after getting 20 minutes per game last year, so how's he going to respond this year if he seldom gets off the bench? How will Aldrich and Bjelica respond when getting fewer minutes than before? Plus Payne not getting off the bench thinking about his career in his 3rd year. I'm not worried about KG and Pek's attitudes, but with enough of these other guys, I'm just a little wary given their expectations for themselves. Hill is definitely better than some random D Leaguer, but random D Leaguers tend not to complain about minutes because they're just happy to be there. And grumbling players in the locker room can hurt chemistry.

So yeah, I'm happy about the depth, and you guys have explained it well. But the situation just makes me raise my eyebrows a bit. Going from 12 to 15 players was about adding injury insurance, but adding Aldrich AND Hill with the new cap it seems like we've filled one an insurance slot with a rotation player. It's nice to have in a basketball sense, don't get me wrong, but I'm just a little wary.

I read a few articles about Hill and all his quotes he said he was frustrated with playing time but also said stuff like he was all about team etc. Maybe there is something else you are referring to. Everyone wants to play and he was playing well. He also seemed to feel like what his role wasn't communicated well to him. Maybe it was maybe it wasn't. It feels like if Thibs and Layden who have talked about wanting guys with high character and players all about winning targeted Hill (think about all kinds of other players they seem to have not shown interest in) they must feel good about him relatively speaking. Let's remember Hill has been a backup ALOT of his career and he probably gets where his place in the league is at this point. I have doubts he considers himself a sure fire starter or something. It seems like Thins and Layden communicated pretty clearly the role they saw for him and I doubt they promised him anything more than a backup role of some kind.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

This happens every year. We wring our hands wondering how on earth we're going to give the guys minutes and then, sure enough, we end up going to the scrap heap for things called Gelabales, Adriens, Onuwakueas, Kirkpatricks, and large sloth-like characters that were team mates of Bjelica back home.

If Jordan Hill doesn't see any time, that's a GOOD thing. While his deal is a bargain, he really isn't that great. But I have a feeling we'll see plenty of him anyway....No way do these guys all stay healthy.

Great post, Q. I'm thrilled when I think about the depth of this roster compared to other years. 2 of our 8 bigs are going to be inactive every game, so the roster isn't that out of balance...6 bigs, and 7 wings and PGs. I agree that in a perfect situation, Jordan Hill seldom gets off the bench. But if we incur lots of injuries with our big men, let's celebrate that it will be Hill filling in and not some of the other clowns we have had to play recently.

Yes, this is obviously a good "problem" to have. As I said, I like depth. Particularly with the 3 guys, Aldrich, Bjelica, and Hill.

My wariness comes from 3 things: expectations, value, and chemistry.

1) In terms of expectations, people on the board here including me were excited about Aldrich showing what he can do in a few more minutes per game. And after signing Hill, people in this thread speculated on him getting 20-25 minutes. But we have also been excited to see improvement from Belly--who I agree should get some minutes at the 3 now, but remember he played about 10 total minutes at the 3 last year. So we can't expect Aldrich, Bjelica, and Hill to get nearly as many minutes as people seem to be expecting. Again, I'm not even counting Payne, Pek, and KG here.

2) In terms of value, let's remember to consider the value of these contracts in light of the fact that they will not be 20-25 minutes per game guys. There's still value in insurance for bigs. But it's not quite as much value as 20 productive minutes on the floor nightly when one of these three guys is racking up DNP-CDs and another getting 10 minutes.

3) Hill complained after getting 20 minutes per game last year, so how's he going to respond this year if he seldom gets off the bench? How will Aldrich and Bjelica respond when getting fewer minutes than before? Plus Payne not getting off the bench thinking about his career in his 3rd year. I'm not worried about KG and Pek's attitudes, but with enough of these other guys, I'm just a little wary given their expectations for themselves. Hill is definitely better than some random D Leaguer, but random D Leaguers tend not to complain about minutes because they're just happy to be there. And grumbling players in the locker room can hurt chemistry.

So yeah, I'm happy about the depth, and you guys have explained it well. But the situation just makes me raise my eyebrows a bit. Going from 12 to 15 players was about adding injury insurance, but adding Aldrich AND Hill with the new cap it seems like we've filled one an insurance slot with a rotation player. It's nice to have in a basketball sense, don't get me wrong, but I'm just a little wary.

I read a few articles about Hill and all his quotes he said he was frustrated with playing time but also said stuff like he was all about team etc. Maybe there is something else you are referring to. Everyone wants to play and he was playing well. He also seemed to feel like what his role wasn't communicated well to him. Maybe it was maybe it wasn't. It feels like if Thibs and Layden who have talked about wanting guys with high character and players all about winning targeted Hill (think about all kinds of other players they seem to have not shown interest in) they must feel good about him relatively speaking. Let's remember Hill has been a backup ALOT of his career and he probably gets where his place in the league is at this point. I have doubts he considers himself a sure fire starter or something. It seems like Thins and Layden communicated pretty clearly the role they saw for him and I doubt they promised him anything more than a backup role of some kind.

I agree, monster...I think there may be some misperceptions about Hill here. Yes, he has commented publicly with the Lakers and the Pacers that he would like more regular minutes, but it was also in the context of how he thought he could help the team. I have never heard anything about him being a locker room problem in any way (and I don't really think that has been suggested here), and has generally been perceived as a good teammate. Who knows what Thibs told him about playing time when he convinced him to come here, but if he couldn't get into a regular rotation in Indy with Mahinmi, Allen and Turner, he has to understand he is likely buried even deeper here.

I have also read comments questioning Hill's motor, and that has never been an issue in my estimation. He projects kind of a laid back attitude in interviews, and I wonder if that might impact how some perceive his playing style. But I think his demeanor on the court is anything but laid back. While not a particularly skilled player, he has carved out a reputation as a guy who plays hard and makes hustle plays.

If you read the Indy boards, fans seem to have generally positive comments about him, think he should have gotten more playing time in the playoffs, but don't seem too broken up about his departure. But let's face it...he's a $4 million guy in a league that is paying players I've never heard of $10 million, so our expectations need to be low. He's a guy who provides us big man depth at a cheap price tag, but shouldn't be expected to play that much unless we have injuries.

[bleedspeed]

I think I would have rolled with Towns, Dieng, Aldrich, and Bjelica. Then signed Woods to a small contract for development. If thing go right Hill won't play at all. Bjelica will leap frog Dieng and be a MIP canidate and Towns will be an all-star, I really worry about Rush. He is not a guy that has proven to stay healthy. I would like to see a another SF/PF on this team.

[JasonIsDaMan [enjin:7981157]]

The Wolves will be playing about 106 games next season. I know many people expect a neat little depth chart but over that many games there are matchup differences, energy deficiencies, fouls, and other things to deal with on top of any injuries.

Wow. 106 games. Now this is the type of positive person the world needs. But unfortunately, I'm not, so you will not be using my money on your trip to Vegas.

[JasonIsDaMan [enjin:7981157]]

This happens every year. We wring our hands wondering how on earth we're going to give the guys minutes and then, sure enough, we end up going to the scrap heap for things called Gelabales, Adriens, Onuwakueas, Kirkpatricks, and large sloth-like characters that were team mates of Bjelica back home.

If Jordan Hill doesn't see any time, that's a GOOD thing. While his deal is a bargain, he really isn't that great. But I have a feeling we'll see plenty of him anyway....No way do these guys all stay healthy.

Great post, Q. I'm thrilled when I think about the depth of this roster compared to other years. 2 of our 8 bigs are going to be inactive every game, so the roster isn't that out of balance...6 bigs, and 7 wings and PGs. I agree that in a perfect situation, Jordan Hill seldom gets off the bench. But if we incur lots of injuries with our big men, let's celebrate that it will be Hill filling in and not some of the other clowns we have had to play recently.

Yes, this is obviously a good "problem" to have. As I said, I like depth. Particularly with the 3 guys, Aldrich, Bjelica, and Hill.

My wariness comes from 3 things: expectations, value, and chemistry.

1) In terms of expectations, people on the board here including me were excited about Aldrich showing what he can do in a few more minutes per game. And after signing Hill, people in this thread speculated on him getting 20-25 minutes. But we have also been excited to see improvement from Belly--who I agree should get some minutes at the 3 now, but remember he played about 10 total minutes at the 3 last year. So we can't expect Aldrich, Bjelica, and Hill to get nearly as many minutes as people seem to be expecting. Again, I'm not even counting Payne, Pek, and KG here.

2) In terms of value, let's remember to consider the value of these contracts in light of the fact that they will not be 20-25 minutes per game guys. There's still value in insurance for bigs. But it's not quite as much value as 20 productive minutes on the floor nightly when one of these three guys is racking up DNP-CDs and another getting 10 minutes.

3) Hill complained after getting 20 minutes per game last year, so how's he going to respond this year if he seldom gets off the bench? How will Aldrich and Bjelica respond when getting fewer minutes than before? Plus Payne not getting off the bench thinking about his career in his 3rd year. I'm not worried about KG and Pek's attitudes, but with enough of these other guys, I'm just a little wary given their expectations for themselves. Hill is definitely better than some random D Leaguer, but random D Leaguers tend not to complain about minutes because they're just happy to be there. And grumbling players in the locker room can hurt chemistry.

So yeah, I'm happy about the depth, and you guys have explained it well. But the situation just makes me raise my eyebrows a bit. Going from 12 to 15 players was about adding injury insurance, but adding Aldrich AND Hill with the new cap it seems like we've filled one an insurance slot with a rotation player. It's nice to have in a basketball sense, don't get me wrong, but I'm just a little wary.

I read a few articles about Hill and all his quotes he said he was frustrated with playing time but also said stuff like he was all about team etc. Maybe there is something else you are referring to. Everyone wants to play and he was playing well. He also seemed to feel like what his role wasn't communicated well to him. Maybe it was maybe it wasn't. It feels like if Thibs and Layden who have talked about wanting guys with high character and players all about winning targeted Hill (think about all kinds of other players they seem to have not shown interest in) they must feel good about him relatively speaking. Let's remember Hill has been a backup ALOT of his career and he probably gets where his place in the league is at this point. I have doubts he considers himself a sure fire starter or something. It seems like Thins and Layden communicated pretty clearly the role they saw for him and I doubt they promised him anything more than a backup role of some kind.

I agree, monster...I think there may be some misperceptions about Hill here. Yes, he has commented publicly with the Lakers and the Pacers that he would like more regular minutes, but it was also in the context of how he thought he could help the team. I have never heard anything about him being a locker room problem in any way (and I don't really think that has been suggested here), and has generally been perceived as a good teammate. Who knows what Thibs told him about playing time when he convinced him to come here, but if he couldn't get into a regular rotation in Indy with Mahinmi, Allen and Turner, he has to understand he is likely buried even deeper here.

I have also read comments questioning Hill's motor, and that has never been an issue in my estimation. He projects kind of a laid back attitude in interviews, and I wonder if that might impact how some perceive his playing style. But I think his demeanor on the court is anything but laid back. While not a particularly skilled player, he has carved out a reputation as a guy who plays hard and makes hustle plays.

If you read the Indy boards, fans seem to have generally positive comments about him, think he should have gotten more playing time in the playoffs, but don't seem too broken up about his departure. But let's face it...he's a $4 million guy in a league that is paying players I've never heard of $10 million, so our expectations need to be low. He's a guy who provides us big man depth at a cheap price tag, but shouldn't be expected to play that much unless we have injuries.

Wow. Reading Pacer fans message boards. So basically people from this board, if people from this board thought Mike Pence was a good idea. That is Sainthood-level commitment.

I'll say it again: Darko made $4.325m in '10/'11 when the cap was $58m. So a better player making less money on a cap that's 62% higher? Yes please.

[Monster]

The 2nd year of Jordan Hill's contract is non-guaranteed. That makes the signing even better. The Wolves have him locked in or they can let him go if they want more cap space or he can be a trade chip for a team wanting to get cap space. Thibs and Layden for President! Oh wait they already are.

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

The 2nd year of Jordan Hill's contract is non-guaranteed. That makes the signing even better. The Wolves have him locked in or they can let him go if they want more cap space or he can be a trade chip for a team wanting to get cap space. Thibs and Layden for President! Oh wait they already are.

That's great news. I'm liking the Hill signing better now. I think this is even better than having a team option for the second year, since I think we'd have to make a decision earlier (I believe when free agency starts if we had a team option) as opposed to a non-guaranteed second year.