An unexpected name suddenly became a target for the Los Angeles Lakers as they and George Hill began talks and had interest in a one-year deal that would make sense for both sides. Unfortunately for the Lakers that is now off the table.
According to Shams Charania of The Vertical, Hill has agreed to a three-year deal with the Sacramento Kings:
Free agent George Hill has reached agreement on a three-year, $57M deal with the Sacramento Kings, league sources tell The Vertical.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 4, 2017
What it seems to have come down to is that Hill, at 31 years old, was hoping for a long-term big money contract. With the point guard market drying up, he wasn’t getting many offers which opened the door for the Lakers on a possible one-year deal, but the Kings coming in with that offer ultimately surpassed what the Lakers were willing to do.
It is well known that the Lakers are not committing any long-term money in free agency in order to preserve their cap space in 2018. There will only be one-year deals offered and that ultimately affects who is and isn’t interested in joining the team.
With Hill now off the market, the Lakers will likely turn their attention back to Rajon Rondo who could also serve many of the same roles that Hill did. Rondo would likely serve as a backup if he were to join the team, and serve as a mentor to Lonzo Ball. He won’t provide the shooting that Hill would, however.