Veteran forward Jordan Hill hasn’t gotten much playing time as of late with head coach Mike D’Antoni leaning toward other lineups without the big man involved. Chris Kaman has also been a victim of the constant changing of lineups with Pau Gasol, Robert Sacre and Ryan Kelly receiving the bulk of the minutes in the paint.
— Lakers Nation Store Is Back! Check Out The Latest Gear! —
Along with the lack of playing time, Hill is dealing with a sore right knee. As a result of the knee injury, Hill will miss Thursday’s game according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin:
Jordan Hill (sore R knee) is day to day. He's out for the Clippers game. He had been getting DNP-CDs anyway
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 6, 2014
As one of the few bright spots for the Lakers earlier in the season, Hill was making a strong case to be re-signed by the team this summer. Now that D’Antoni seems to favor lineups without Hill in the mix, the writing might be on the wall in terms of the forward’s departure in free agency during the off-season.
Hill appeared to be the favorite to be traded before the NBA trade deadline last month. The Brooklyn Nets showed considerable interest in acquiring the veteran forward, but the deal fell apart. Hill heading elsewhere once officially an unrestricted free agent may be inevitable at this point.
______________________________________________________________________________
Nike Kobe 9 Elite Experience, Starring Kobe Bryant