Though the Clippers have interest in big-name point guards like Ball and Lowry, their more realistic trade targets would grab fewer headlines. League sources say the Clippers have had trade talks with Oklahoma City for George Hill and with Minnesota for Ricky Rubio. Los Angeles likely doesn’t have the assets necessary to acquire Ball or Lowry, but the team’s interest in both certainly speaks to the need for a playmaking presence who can stop the offense from running stagnant in fourth quarters.
More on George Hill Trade?
Brian Windhorst: 'Keep an eye on' George Hill for the Clippers
Nonetheless, Hill — who has averaged 11.8 points and 3.1 assists in 14 games this season — is expected to be back in time for the playoffs and is attracting significant interest from contenders (Milwaukee excluded, per a source).
Several playoff contenders have interest in both Hill and Ariza, sources say. The Clippers are among teams interested in Hill, sources said.
Based on conversations with sources close to the [Philadelphia 76ers], they are not content with their current roster. A source tells B/R the team has inquired about the availability of Will Barton, PJ Tucker, Delon Wright and George Hill.
Conversely, the financial factor has everything to do with the widespread belief that Oklahoma City’s George Hill — who is owed $9.5 million this season and has a team option worth $10 million for next season — will attract serious attention from contenders.
Shams Charania: Trade complete: MIL: Jrue Holiday, No. 60 pick Sam Merrill NOLA: Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe, ‘25/'27 1sts, ‘24/'26 swaps via MIL OKC: George Hill, Josh Gray, Kenrich Williams, Zylan Cheatham, Darius Miller, ‘23 protected 1st via Denver, two 2nd round picks DEN: RJ Hampton
Adrian Wojnarowski: As part of four-team Steven Adams trade, Thunder also receive George Hill, Darius Miller, 2023 Denver protected first-round pick and second-round picks in 2023 (via Charlotte) and 2024 (via Washington), sources tell ESPN.
An Eastern Conference executive said he’s heard George Hill, whom the Bucks dealt to New Orleans on Monday, is drawing interest from a spate of title contenders, including both L.A. teams, Boston, Golden State and Miami.
Adrian Wojnarowski: New Orleans is nearing completion of a deal to send G Jrue Holiday to Milwaukee for Eric Bledsoe, George Hill and what's described as "significant" draft compensation, sources tell ESPN. Teams are still working through the picks in trade.
Chris Fedor: #Cavs Matthew Dellavedova taking his physical now. But the holdup is George Hill who is getting into Milwaukee late and won’t beat the deadline for Cleveland to submit actives/inactives tonight.
Chris Fedor: Sources: #Cavs have scheduled an 8:30 trade call with the league.
Albert Nahmad: Bucks, by swapping John Henson and Matt Dellavedova for George Hill and Jason Smith, will end up $5.2M below the tax line this season (assuming Mirza Teletovic relief) and clear $18M off their cap sheet (if they waive Hill, who has a $1M guarantee, by 7/1/19) for 2019-20.
Zach Lowe: Protections on MIL 1st going to CLE, per sources: 1-14 in 2021; 1-10 in 2022; 1-10 and 25-30 in 2023; 1-8 in 2024. Coverts to two seconds in 2025 if not conveyed by then.
Bobby Marks: The pick will be two years after the Milwaukee first that is owed to Phoenix is conveyed. Cleveland can certainly receive a first starting in 2021 but only if the first this season is between 4-16. The likely scenario is for Cle. to receive a top 14 protected first in 2022.
Joe Vardon: Check this: There are only eight players left from the Cavs’ 2018 Finals team
The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed in principle to a trade that will send George Hill and Sam Dekker to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for John Henson, Matthew Dellavedova and a pair of future draft picks, including a 2021 first-rounder, league sources told cleveland.com.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Milwaukee will save $18M in salary in the 2019-20 season with the trade, which allows them flexibility to continue to upgrade roster. Cavaliers continue show a willingness to take on money to gather draft picks.
Adrian Wojnarowski: For Cavaliers and Bucks, there was an urgency to a get deal done by 6 PM ET today. Now the players in the deal are eligible to be aggregated on the Feb. 7 trade deadline. Essentially, they can combine these players with other contracts to move before the deadline.
Joe Vardon: George Hill expects to take his physical Monday in Milwaukee
Brian Windhorst: Cavs taking on money for picks. Sending George Hill to Milwaukee for Matthew Dellavedova & John Henson. Bucks sending Cavs a 1st and a 2nd per sources
Shams Charania: Sources: Cleveland is trading George Hill to Milwaukee.
Shams Charania: Sources: Milwaukee is also sending center John Henson and Matthew Dellavedova to Cleveland for Hill.
Another situation Houston is monitoring is the one playing out in Cleveland, sources said. The Cavaliers are aggressive in the market, looking to move some of their veterans. They have made it clear that they are moving in a younger direction, recently parting ways with J.R. Smith as they seek a trade for him. George Hill is another guard whose salary they would like to shed, but his $19 million price tag may make it difficult to find a taker.
In conversations the Cavs have had around the league, they've begun to express that they'll be willing to take on long-term salary as the trade deadline approaches, league sources said. The Cavs have a couple of veterans they are going to be willing to trade. The most interest is expected to be in Kyle Korver, who is shooting 46 percent on 3-pointers, but they also have the attractive contract of George Hill, who is making $19 million this season and has just $1 million guaranteed for next season. Hill, who is out because of a shoulder injury, was off to a good start, averaging 12.6 points and shooting 48 percent on 3-pointers in 10 games.
The Phoenix Suns, who are actively looking to acquire a starting-caliber point guard, have no interest in Cleveland Cavaliers guard George Hill, a league source told Amico Hoops on Tuesday. The Suns traded Brandon Knight to the Houston Rockets last week in a deal that brought Ryan Anderson to Phoenix. As a result, the Suns need a point guard in the worst way and have been active in attempting to trade for an established veteran.
Sacramento now joins a small group of teams with cap space for the summer of 2018. Shedding the George Hill contract now has Sacramento with $24M in room that could increase to $40M if Iman Shumpert and Garrett Temple opt-out of their contract.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Cleveland acquires Rodney Hood and George Hill in three-team deal, transforming its roster at the trade deadline.
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.
The Kings could do a one-for-one swap with Houston if they were willing to take forward Ryan Anderson, sources said. But Anderson, the former Oak Ridge High School and Cal star, has two more seasons left on his deal worth in excess of $41 million – the kind of contract the Kings want to avoid.
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.”
The Kings really have no reason to move Hill, unless the deal is favorable. So as the Feb. 8 trade deadline approaches, Hill is still a King. The Kings are not opposed to making a deal, but it has to make sense as part of the grand plan to maintain financial flexibility for the future, while also being in the position to collect draft picks and young talent.
Hill hasn’t caused problems in the locker room, even though he’s coming off the bench. He’s formed great relationships with young players like Bogdan Bogdanovic and De’Aaron Fox. And the Kings front office really likes having Hill around.
ESPN Cleveland: Windhorst: The #Cavs/Sacramento trade is not dead, there's still a chance it happens for George Hill.
But things fell through, and for one pretty big reason. The Cavs reportedly wanted Hill to be willing to take a buyout after this season in the event that Cavs star LeBron James bolted via free agency. Cavs Insider Brian Windhorst addressed the busted deal Tuesday. “So (the Cavs) didn’t want to buy him out this year,” Windhorst said on ESPN Radio. “What they wanted to do was protect themselves in the event that LeBron James left, whether George Hill would be willing to take a buyout on the 20 million he’s owed on his contract after the season.”
The Kings long-rumored talks with the Cavaliers about a George Hill swap are not dead according to league sources, who characterized them as maybe the least favored option for both teams, but something they could do at the deadline if nothing better surfaces.
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.”
Speaking on ESPN Radio about the subject of Hill’s potential trade to Cleveland, Ryan Hollins said that Cleveland was trying to coax Hill into agreeing to a preliminary buyout next season should LeBron James decides to walk away from the team in the summer. Hill, however, declined to be part of the plan, putting the trade talks off the table for now.
The Kings need to create at least one roster spot to facilitate a potential trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers for Hill, but there have been no indications the Kings plan to part with Temple, who has a player option on his contract for next season for $8 million. “He’s the glue in our locker room,” Kings coach Dave Joerger said. “He’s the guy that everybody goes to, the ultimate professional. ... He’s a real quality human being. Throughout this journey, it’s not been an easy season playing with a lot of young guys, but he’s been very patient, very guiding. He’s a stud.”
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
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.
Marc Stein: The Kings will extract some sort of draft compensation if they go ahead with the proposed trade of George Hill to Cleveland for Iman Shumpert and Channing Frye, according to league sources
ESPN Cleveland: Windhorst: I do think the George Hill trade will happen. I think Derrick Rose may be involved in this one, as well as Frye and Shump. #Cavs
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.
Jason Jones: Kings looking to unload a couple players to make this happen, I’m told. Kings at 15 players on the roster
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.
With De'Aaron Fox on the roster, the Kings have no interest in acquiring any veteran point guards, sources said. Fox and fellow rookie point guard Frank Mason make George Hill expendable, especially Mason is healthy. The Kings can also play Bogdan Bogdanovic at point. The Kings aren’t interested in acquiring long-term deals because they want to maintain financial flexibility. The Kings would also like to collect more draft picks as part of their latest attempt to rebuild and become a winning team.
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.
So about the trade talk that persists despite Hill’s unfavorable (this season anyway) contract terms. As in the past, he remains unfazed by the chatter while acknowledging the transient nature of his chosen profession. It doesn’t sound as if being traded to a contender would break his heart, either. “One thing I’ve learned is that you have to keep your bags packed,” he added. “You never know. If it happens, it happens. But I’ve made great relationships in this locker room and with this club. If I leave, I’ll look them in the face, shake their hand and thank them for the opportunity.”
So about the trade talk that persists despite Hill’s unfavorable (this season anyway) contract terms. As in the past, he remains unfazed by the chatter while acknowledging the transient nature of his chosen profession. It doesn’t sound as if being traded to a contender would break his heart, either. “One thing I’ve learned is that you have to keep your bags packed,” he added. “You never know. If it happens, it happens. But I’ve made great relationships in this locker room and with this club. If I leave, I’ll look them in the face, shake their hand and thank them for the opportunity.”
The Kings gave playoff competitiveness a chance for about three or four games, but are back where you’d expect to find them — hunting for a deal that could bolster their future. Guard George Hill has already been shopped and would be a good fit on a contender. Zach Randolph has also played well, even at age 36, and could be moved soon, too. And there’s always the hope that, somehow, Vince Carter gets shipped back to Toronto in time for the Raptors’ postseason run.
Sean Cunningham: In speaking with George Hill at his function at Encina Prep HS in Sacramento, I asked him if he's more at peace in knowing his role with the Kings. His response in the video below. pic.twitter.com/NzkxPCq4H4
I don’t think Hill has forgotten how to play or that his skills have taken a dive. He averaged a career-high 16.9 points last season for Utah. I think it’s just an uncomfortable situation that will take time to smooth out. A new team could give Hill the chance to win now and rediscover his old form. Whether the Kings can strike a deal with another team for Hill’s $20 million salary this season is another question. But if they can do so without tying up too much money long-term, giving the reins to Fox and Mason makes sense.
After a workout, Hill first learned he was traded when he listened to a voicemail from Pacers President Larry Bird saying “we had to trade you to Utah.” On his relationship with Jazz GM Dennis Lindsay, who was with him in San Antonio: “Very good. He was the guy that helped draft me. Like I said, we have a lot of stories. He helped draft me, he got rid of me, he brought me back. But, in reality, he’s the first team and organization that gave me an opportunity to play this game that I love. So, very familiar with him and his family, very familiar with the head coach in (Quin) Snyder.”
George Hill on if he was surprised that he was traded: “It came as a surprise. Last time I checked, I was supposed to retire from Indiana. Very surprising, but I know this is a business and anything can happen. So, I’m not upset about it. I think I’m in a great situation here. I’m here, somewhere where I feel wanted right now.
When Bill Neff, George Hill's agent, talked about the Utah Jazz, he said they compared favorably to the Spurs in terms of professionalism. He talked about their class as an organization, and praised the way they did business. In essence, Hill is quite happy to come to the Jazz, who acquired him on Wednesday in a three-team deal with the Indiana Pacers and the Atlanta Hawks. The Jazz give their No. 12 pick in Thursday's draft to the Hawks, who then send Jeff Teague to the Pacers. The move leaves the Jazz without a selection on Thursday until the No. 42 pick in the second round. It remains to be seen if Utah makes another deal, however.
"This is a good fit for George," Neff told The Tribune on Wednesday. "One, George likes it in Utah. Two, George has a close relationship with Gordon Hayward [both are Indianapolis natives]. Three, [Jazz general manager] Dennis Lindsey was largely responsible for bringing George to San Antonio. George has worked with [Jazz coach] Quin Snyder. This is one of the teams George has always wanted to play for."
Hill has one year remaining on his contract, but Neff said he and his client hope to be in Utah beyond the 2016-17 season. "I'd hope a team doesn't give up a lottery pick to take a guy for one year," Neff said. "George likes stability; he's not the kind that wants to move around." For the Pacers last year, Hill averaged 12.1 points and 3.5 assists per game. He shot over 50 percent from the field in a first-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors, and was Kyle Lowry's primary defender for seven games.
Teague to the Indiana Pacers as part of a three-way deal with the Utah Jazz, league sources told The Vertical. Indiana will send guard George Hill to the Jazz, who are moving the No. 12 overall pick in Thursday’s NBA draft to Atlanta, league sources said. For salary-cap purposes, the deal won’t be official until July.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Three-way deal with Atlanta, Indiana and Utah, with George Hill going to the Jazz, league sources tell @The Vertical.
Nate Taylor: Frank Vogel: "We are not shopping George Hill."
The Hawks have been gauging the market for point guard Teague, who has started 345 games for Atlanta over the past four and a half seasons. Sources say the Indiana Pacers have made inquiries and have dangled guard George Hill as a possible swap. The Magic are also potential suitors for Teague, sources confirmed.
They're poking around the point guard market now, according to several league sources, and they'll look again over the summer. With Hood and Hayward able to handle the ball, the ideal upgrade isn't an expensive dribbling maestro like Mike Conley. A spot-up guy willing to grind on defense would be perfect, but the best matches, such as Patrick Beverley and George Hill, aren't available.
