As Thursday’s noon trade deadline approaches, the Cleveland Cavaliers remain one of the teams interested in acquiring Kings point guard George Hill, according to multiple league sources speaking on the condition of anonymity. The Houston Rockets also have interest in Hill, the sources said.
More on George Hill to Cavaliers
The Cavaliers continue to engage Sacramento on George Hill, sources told Yahoo Sports, and the Kings have quietly been looking for a third team to involve. The Cavs — who have little interest in taking on the $19 million Hill is owed next season — have pushed for J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert to be part of the package, a source said, which the Kings have no interest in. Cleveland has shown a willingness to part with its own first-round pick in other deals, but thus far trading the coveted unprotected Brooklyn Nets pick has not been seriously considered.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said in an appearance on the Lowe Post that the proposed deal which fell apart for Sacramento’s George Hill is still available. Lowe asked Woj what kind of stuff they can do to improve their team. “A lot of the same things they had going on last week, things like George Hill. I’ve heard there’s a lot of things on their board. They’re kind of just weighing as they get closer to Thursday and see what’s the best possible deal they could do. I think the worse this team gets, the worse the environment, the relationships (get). And relationships are frayed at every level…there’s no savior for them.”
ESPN Cleveland: Windhorst: The #Cavs/Sacramento trade is not dead, there's still a chance it happens for George Hill.
Windhorst provides an update on the George Hill trade the Cavs and Kings discussed: “Well, obviously it hasn’t gotten done, they haven’t been able to finalize it. It is still sitting there on the table, but the teams have backed away from it. Why? Well, there a few different reasons for that. There’s a draft compensation issue. There’s the George Hill health issue. He missed three of four games [recently]. And I know they aren’t playing their veterans, but he had the toe issue pop up earlier this month and he’s been battling this toe issue for two years now. He’s missed six of his last [11] games – some because of the toe and some because he’s been a healthy scratch. I do think there was some concern within the Cavs organization about that. … Also, another factor is the Cavs’ lineup change. They hadn’t been using Channing Frye at all and so I think the GM, Koby Altman, was like, ‘Well if you aren’t going to use him, I’m going to trade him.’ Then they made a lineup change and now Channing Frye is back in the rotation. Had they done this deal the way it was initially structured, they would’ve been a big man short, which would have necessitated them to make a secondary deal. From what I understand, it’s still there and can be done, but for various reasons the teams have stepped back. The reason I was so [adamant] that it was going to happen is because they talked to the players about it. When it’s the actual team [executives] going to the players and saying, ‘This is going to happen,’ typically that means it’s going to happen.”
The Kings seem to be closing in on a deal to move out guard George Hill, likely sending him to Cleveland in exchange for Cavs center Channing Frye and guard Iman Shumpert. There is the possibility that some second-round picks change hands, but this deal would be about getting Hill and his hefty salary next year off the books. Sources close to the Kings said they have been very open and receptive to helping move off the veteran players that have fallen out of the rotation in Sacramento.
The Cavaliers and Kings are further apart on a trade for George Hill than it first appeared, sources told cleveland.com, with significant hurdles toward a potential deal remaining. One source told cleveland.com that the two sides were speaking "conceptually" about Hill and were never close; another said the Cavs sought to change the parameters of a potential trade.
Conceptually, at least, the Cavs would get Hill from the Kings and send Channing Frye and Iman Shumpert to Sacramento. Derrick Rose could also have been involved and perhaps a future second-round draft pick. The teams have until the Feb. 8 trade deadline to get something done. The Kings want to move on from Hill, so if a trade can't be completed there is also the possibility of a buyout.
Even though Hill is in the eye of the trade rumor hurricane — the Cavs are trying to acquire him and bolster their backcourt — he wasn’t stressed or pressing for the latest details. “I’m not mad or frustrated,” Hill said of hearing his name in trade talks. “Either it happens or it doesn’t.”
He said he’s not on the Internet searching for information. “I don’t follow HoopsHype. I don’t follow Bleacher Report. I don’t watch ESPN,” Hill said. Do family and friends reach out, trying to find out what Hill might know? “Not really. They know me by now,” he said. “They know I don’t really care about all that stuff.”
“Right now, I’m with the Sacramento Kings, and I’m trying to help these young fellas learn,” said Hill, who can play point guard and shooting guard. “It’s about the relationships I’ve got with the players. We’ve got a bond, and it’s my job to teach those guys what I’ve been successful with. No matter if you’re in trade talks or not, I still have an obligation to be the best teammate I can be while I’m here.”
The Kings continue to work closer to a trade that would send guard George Hill to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a package that would include Channing Frye and guard Iman Shumpert and some form of draft compensation, league sources told The Bee on Tuesday. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak on behalf of the team.
Mike Fisher: Source tonite to DallasBasketball.com - #Kings have contacted #Mavs re being 3rd team to help Trade George Hill to #Cavs
Dave McMenamin: The Cavs say Channing Frye is out with an abdominal strain tonight. As @Brian Windhorst & @Adrian Wojnarowski reported, Frye is also included in trade talks involving Cleveland and Sacramento for George Hill.
Sam Amick: This possible deal between the Kings (George Hill) and Cavs (Iman Shumpert/Channing Frye) is not expected to go down today, I'm told. Very real though. ESPN first reported talks.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are progressing in conversations on a deal to acquire Sacramento Kings guard George Hill, league sources told ESPN. The Cavaliers and Kings are discussing a package centered on guard Iman Shumpert and forward Channing Frye, league sources said. The teams are discussing a second-round pick, too, sources said.
The Cavaliers have had some hesitancy about the guaranteed $19 million remaining on Hill's contract in the 2018-19 season, league sources said, especially if LeBron James leaves in free agency and the Cavaliers move toward a rebuild. Only $1 million of the $18 million on his 2019-20 contract is guaranteed, making it easy to waive Hill.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Sacramento and Cleveland continue to discuss a deal for guard George Hill, league sources tell ESPN. Iman Shumpert and Channing Frye are primary players in ongoing conversations.
ESPN Cleveland: Windhorst: The #Cavs have been talking with the Kings about a George Hill deal. The Kings need to clear roster spots first. They are lining it up to pull the trigger. Cavs are also in talks with other teams. Windy LIVE on thelandondemand.com NOW
The Cavs contacted Sacramento about a possible trade for guard George Hill, and the New York Times reported that Cleveland has also engaged the Los Angeles Clippers about DeAndre Jordan and Lou Williams. The Times said the Cavs have floated J.R. Smith, Tristan Thompson, and Iman Shumpert in possible trades -- all of them have been here for each of Cleveland's last three Finals runs and have seen their roles diminish this season for one reason or another. The Cavs are 1-4 in their last five games and privately their marquee players have suggested the team needs a roster upgrade or two. "I like our group,"Tyronn Lue reiterated. "Until we figure out rotations and getting guys healthy and what we have ... I like what we have."
With the NBA trade deadline approaching and the Kings committed to playing their youth, teams are inquiring about the availability of their veterans, league sources told The Bee. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak on behalf of the Kings. A source confirmed the Cleveland Cavaliers are interested in point guard George Hill, as first reported by Yahoo Sports on Friday. Hill is in the first year of a three-year, $57 million deal with the Kings, but also plays the same position as highly regarded rookie De’Aaron Fox.
In an effort to bolster their backcourt situation, the Cleveland Cavaliers are expressing interest in a trade for Sacramento Kings guard George Hill, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
