Monroe: Hill’s emergence gives Spurs flexibility

[duncan228]

Hill’s emergence gives Spurs flexibility (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Hills_emergence_gives_Spurs_flexibility.html)
Mike Monroe

By the time George Hill emerged from the back of the Spurs' team room after Monday's victory over Milwaukee, only one of his teammates remained in the locker room.

Matt Bonner had kept the media waiting for his pearls of wisdom after his six 3-pointers made him a candidate for “king of the day” on “SportsCenter.”

As interviewers dispersed from Bonner's locker, Hill slid past, dressed in workout shorts and compression shirt, soaked in sweat.

Spurs strength and conditioning coach Mike Brungardt requires Spurs who play fewer than 15 minutes on game nights to put in conditioning work afterward, but Hill had logged 27 of the toughest minutes of the game, most of them spent chasing Milwaukee's super-quick rookie, Brandon Jennings, around the AT&T Center.

“Had to get in a lift,” Hill said. “Got to stay strong.”

Anyone wondering why Gregg Popovich has declared Hill his favorite Spur had an answer.

Hill's emergence in his second season is the most positive development of the young season for the Spurs because Tony Parker has had a slow, injury-plagued start, and Manu Ginobili's muscles have shown disquieting tendency to rebel at being pushed so hard by the Argentine dynamo.

Presuming full recovery by Ginobili, the prospect of teaming him with Hill and Parker, in various combinations, gives Popovich situational flexibility he hasn't had.

Already, Hill makes a defensive impact for a team trying to regain its identity as one of the NBA's stingiest.

Jennings came into the AT&T Center on Monday as the NBA's No. 8 scorer, a rookie with a 55-point game on his résumé. In Hill, he encountered a defender with near-equal quickness, unnaturally long arms and experience chasing one of the fastest players in basketball.

“All I was hearing before the game was how fast he was,” Hill said, “but in my mind, I was saying, ‘He can't be that much faster than (Tony Parker).'”

In fact, Jennings seemed quicker than Parker, with breathtaking ability to stop and rise for a jumper. That he misfired on 15 of 21 shots is tribute to Hill's defensive tenacity and length and the inevitability of basketball. Jennings isn't going to make 49 percent of his 3-point shots all season, as he had before Monday.

On first impression, Jennings seems to have a nice on-court demeanor, very much like Hill's: all business; no bravado.

There are plenty of general managers who wish they had taken Jennings in the 2009 draft, and another bunch who have to admit they misread Hill in 2008.

One NBA player personnel executive insists the Spurs, and the Spurs alone, had Hill ticketed for the first round on draft day, 2008.

Where would Hill go if there were a do-over for that class?

Check the 14 2008 lottery selections, and it is fair to suggest Hill is more productive than Joe Alexander, D.J. Augustin, Jerryd Bayless and Brandon Rush. Examine the non-lottery players taken ahead of Hill, and at least five teams aren't getting as much as the Spurs receive from Hill: Phoenix (Robin Lopez), Washington (JaVale McGee) Charlotte (Alexis Ajinca), Utah (Kostas Koufas) and Oklahoma City (Serge Ibaka).

True, all five are big men who need development, but we're all about the here and now, aren't we?

[024]

one has to wonder what will happen in the future when hill outgrows the backup pg position and becomes starter quality. it shouldn't be too far off. will the spurs be forced to trade him? forced as in hill is too good and the spurs would get more value out of him by trading him rather than him playing backup minutes. i can see hill becoming starter quality in the next one or two years, in fact i can kind of see it right now.

[the crimson blur]

one has to wonder what will happen in the future when hill outgrows the backup pg position and becomes starter quality. it shouldn't be too far off. will the spurs be forced to trade him? forced as in hill is too good and the spurs would get more value out of him by trading him rather than him playing backup minutes. i can see hill becoming starter quality in the next one or two years, in fact i can kind of see it right now.

Hill will be the starting 2-guard by the end of the season. He will also be the backup point.

He is too good to play limited minutes.

[Interrohater]

one has to wonder what will happen in the future when hill outgrows the backup pg position and becomes starter quality. it shouldn't be too far off. will the spurs be forced to trade him? forced as in hill is too good and the spurs would get more value out of him by trading him rather than him playing backup minutes. i can see hill becoming starter quality in the next one or two years, in fact i can kind of see it right now.

Dude, I honestly don't see them trading him. They'll have to find a way to keep him. Manu won't play forever, and who knows how long Bogans will be on the team. If you think that the Spurs will keep a player like Bogans, Mason or Finley over Hill, you're sadly mistaken.

I always despise when people have the "trade him while he's hot" mentality. If he's hot, then why trade him for players who are not? It's the same thing with Parker. Some folks want to trade him right now because he's at the peak of his value. He's not a house, he's not an appreciating investment where you buy low and sell high. He's more like a vehicle. You ride him until you either want something else, or it no longer works.

[Sotongball21]

Yup, i see Hill getting minutes at 1 and 2.
I have a feeling Mason is going to make way for Splitter next year.
mmm

[024]

Dude, I honestly don't see them trading him. They'll have to find a way to keep him. Manu won't play forever, and who knows how long Bogans will be on the team. If you think that the Spurs will keep a player like Bogans, Mason or Finley over Hill, you're sadly mistaken.

I always despise when people have the "trade him while he's hot" mentality. If he's hot, then why trade him for players who are not? It's the same thing with Parker. Some folks want to trade him right now because he's at the peak of his value. He's not a house, he's not an appreciating investment where you buy low and sell high. He's more like a vehicle. You ride him until you either want something else, or it no longer works.
well right now hill fits on the spurs as the back up point guard. when he outgrows that role, he may no longer fit as a spur. there's not many 6'2 starting shooting guards in the league. i can see him maybe as the future sixth man.

[SenorSpur]

Hill is talented enough to be a starter on several NBA teams right now. It'll be interesting to see what happens as his career develops.

And for the record, I don't think Hill's performance and value will impact a player like Bogans.

[aquiet20&10]

hill's a dynamic player, and pop will find minutes for him as he continues to develop. i agree with a possible 6th man notion. wouldn't be the first time undersized combo guards were in that position. jason terry and ben gordon (when he was with chicago) to name a few, although maybe not quite as explosive a scorer to average 20 points off the bench, but a way better defender.

[Blackjack]

one has to wonder what will happen in the future when hill outgrows the backup pg position and becomes starter quality. it shouldn't be too far off. will the spurs be forced to trade him? forced as in hill is too good and the spurs would get more value out of him by trading him rather than him playing backup minutes. i can see hill becoming starter quality in the next one or two years, in fact i can kind of see it right now.

It's a fair question to ask when projecting down the line..

The way I see it, it can go one of a few ways:

George's progression doesn't go much further and he secures his place in the league as one of the leagues best backup's.

George's progression does go a good amount further and he becomes the heir-apparent to Manu as the 6th-Man.

Georges progression finds him bucking conventional wisdom and being a long-term solution at the 2-guard.

George's progression finds him becoming a starting-caliber point-guard in the league and thus leaving the possibility that his trade value could allow the Spurs to address more pressing needs with Parker still on board.

And then there's this possibility:

George's progression allows for either - a.) Parker to become the carrot that brings the right pieces for a rebuilding process, or b.) the Spurs to have the heir-apparent to Tony if he leaves for greener pastures after Tim and Manu's departure.


Bottom line, because of the position he plays and who he has in front of him, his ascension poses more questions than it would had he played a position of need; questions that just about every NBA team would love the opportunity to answer..

[Danny.Zhu]

one has to wonder what will happen in the future when hill outgrows the backup pg position and becomes starter quality. it shouldn't be too far off. will the spurs be forced to trade him? forced as in hill is too good and the spurs would get more value out of him by trading him rather than him playing backup minutes. i can see hill becoming starter quality in the next one or two years, in fact i can kind of see it right now.

Relax. I didn't see him played well in the losses.

[duhoh]

It's a fair question to ask when projecting down the line..

The way I see it, it can go one of a few ways:

George's progression doesn't go much further and he secures his place in the league as one of the leagues best backup's.

George's progression does go a good amount further and he becomes the heir-apparent to Manu as the 6th-Man.

Georges progression finds him bucking conventional wisdom and being a long-term solution at the 2-guard.

George's progression finds him becoming a starting-caliber point-guard in the league and thus leaving the possibility that his trade value could allow the Spurs to address more pressing needs with Parker still on board.

And then there's this possibility:

George's progression allows for either - a.) Parker to become the carrot that brings the right pieces for a rebuilding process, or b.) the Spurs to have the heir-apparent to Tony if he leaves for greener pastures after Tim and Manu's departure.


Bottom line, because of the position he plays and who he has in front of him, his ascension poses more questions than it would had he played a position of need; questions that just about every NBA team would love the opportunity to answer..

+100000000

solid analysis sir :toast

[mountainballer]

George's progression allows for either - a.) Parker to become the carrot that brings the right pieces for a rebuilding process, or b.) the Spurs to have the heir-apparent to Tony if he leaves for greener pastures after Tim and Manu's departure.

Bottom line, because of the position he plays and who he has in front of him, his ascension poses more questions than it would had he played a position of need; questions that just about every NBA team would love the opportunity to answer..

yeah. will be interesting to follow and another never ending field of discussion for ST.

agree, the let Parker go (or trade him) scenario might become more logical in two years than it seems right now. Tony will command a max (or close to max) extension for 5 years. he will be 29, but with far more NBA mileage than any player of the same age. (maybe except Kobe, but he's really the only one that comes to my mind)
Tim will have one more year, but it's not realistic that a Tony-Tim (Manu?) core can be a contender in 2011-12. and RJ's contract also expires. (he will be 31. would he re sign for MLE type money?)
if Hill develops into a starting caliber player on either PG or SG, the combination with Tony doesn't look like a perfect solution. as a back up, he might be wasted. and if he starts at SG, you would see it as a perfect solution, if he plays alongside an oversized PG, which Tony isn't.
you would want a Billups or Baron Davis type player.
as BJ mentioned, Tony would in fact be the best asset for a re start move. there will be some teams that think Tony lifts them over the top and therefore offer a nice package of Picks and young talent in return.

[TDMVPDPOY]

tony will ask for max money, now if manu and td is on the decline or departing...i dont think tp is worth the max to be build around....

[boutons_deux]

Tony, Georges, Manu, Richard, Antonio bello, Teemmee

I try to come up with a crunch time/close out rotation, and just got too many options!! :)

[TinTin]

Tony, Georges, Manu, Richard, Antonio bello, Teemmee

I try to come up with a crunch time/close out rotation, and just got too many options!! :)

Wtf I googled imaged antonio bello. This guy is a pornstar

What kind of rotation is this

[SpurNation]

Hill's progression from last year to now has been amazing. One just can't say enough good things about the ability in both selecting and developing talent that the Spurs organization has done over the past 10 years. Interesting to see how far along Blair will progress.

I can easily see the Spurs being able to use through development and trade the youth they now have (and in the future) at being able to land an upper tier post player in the event of Duncan retiring and remaining one of the top franchises in the league even after Duncan's departure.

This of course is presuming after Duncan's retirement or departure that the administrative staff sticks around as well.

San Antonio Spurs will become synonymous in the world of professional basketball as the team not only talent aspires to play for but new fans across the globe to root for.

[dbestpro]

well right now hill fits on the spurs as the back up point guard. when he outgrows that role, he may no longer fit as a spur. there's not many 6'2 starting shooting guards in the league. i can see him maybe as the future sixth man.

I would rather have a 6-2 SG playing D like Hill (see Durant) than a 6-7 SG who stands around and watches players blow by.

[MoSpur]

GHill has been very good. I hope he improves on his J a little more.

[NFGIII]

Boy this sure beats all those "Finley sucks" threads!

Anyway Hill's development is going to one of the keys to the Spurs success this season. IMHO Being able to play decent minutes as backup PG thus spelling TP is one point. As of now his play on the defensive is as well as his scoring gives the Spurs more options. And Manu is still out so imagine the possibilities.

As for his fuutre here I really think if he continues to develop Pop is going to find more minutes for him in one way or another. He is too talented to just have as a backup for TP. Though trading him is a possibility I would hope that that wouldn't happen unless it was for the right piece such as a dominate 5 or comparable.

[Spurs Brazil]

GHill has been very good. I hope he improves on his J a little more.

I think Hill is one of those players Who likes to work very hard, so I think he’ll have a very solid J in 2 years. Look at his corner 3 right now, it’s money.

[ffadicted]

There's no way the spurs ever give up Hill unless it's a deal they can't refuse. He's in for the longterm haul no doubt

[MannyIsGod]

Why would you trade a guy making so little on the 2nd year of a four year rookie deal? It makes absolutely no sense unless you're getting back some young talent in return. If the Spurs trade Hill it will be because he blew up and they can't keep him several year down the road in a sign and trade. Otherwise there really is no reason to deal a guy making so little money when he's playing so well.