and thus goes the slippery slop to payroll inflexibility that traps teams in mediocrity. such a payout for hill, as with the recent one to AB, are all fine in isolation. the problems begin when a team takes on a number of such "mild overpays" and then loses it payroll flexibility.
when the celtics become contenders, what role will hill pay? back up center? those are available at cheaper prices. the danger is that his contract and others may prevent the celtics from acquiring a starter on a contender. and at the same time hill doesn't move the "contender needle" for the celtics.
i am sure ainge knows all this, so it will be interesting to see how much he is offering to hill.
If Hill is a restricted free agent, I would like a sign and trade, maybe the Pierce trade exception or Hump or something. (Maybe a one year matching deal for Hump, with non-guaranteed years following it to trade with).
I don't think that 7m/year would be a bad deal, for either of these guys, and I think that Hill is an acceptable risk at Center, if only because he is likely the best left on the market. I think that he could play starter minutes; he got kind of screwed behind Gasol last year.
He may not be a defensive beast from what he has shown, but its not like beastly defensive Centers are a dime a dozen. I say take the guy at reasonable money, and either he pans out or he becomes a decent trade asset in a few months.
It may not be a win win deal, but its not a losing proposition. He certainly could not be worse than what we had last year.
Topic: Celtics interested in Jordan Hill (Read 9367 times)