Philadelphia 76ers: George Hill is playing for his future versus Atlanta

Statistically speaking, George Hill was the worst player on the court in the Philadelphia 76ers‘ Game 1 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

Now granted, he didn’t, ya know, record a turnover seconds into his lone minute of action midway through the fourth quarter – unlike other players – but Hill finished out the contest with zero points, one rebound, and a turnover of his own in a little over 11 minutes of action while turning in the worst +/- number of any player on the team at -17.

When your team gets outscored by 17 when you only play 11 minutes, that’s a pretty darn big problem.

Despite having the second-most playoff experience on the team, Hill has been downright ordinary for the Sixers thus far this playoff run, getting overshadow by Tyrese Maxey, Matise Thybulle, and even Furkan Korkmaz in one way or another. While he’s averaging slightly more points per game than in his 16 game regular season run with the Sixers – which is more of an indictment than an endorsement – Hill is is averaging less than two assists, less than two rebounds, and a third of a steal per game.

Needless to say, this isn’t the sort of production Daryl Morey expected when he shipped out Tony Bradley, four second-round picks, and cap fodder to boost his bench with a playoff-proven contender. If Hill can’t turn things around soon, there’s a very real possibility he not only won’t be back in South Philly next season but could once again find himself traded to a bad team where his $10 million cap hit could be better used on a more reliable contributor.

It’s do-or-die time for George Hill and the Philadelphia 76ers.

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The first month of the 2020-21 NBA season was very good to George Hill.

After being shipped out of Milwaukee as part of a four-team trade headlined by certified Process starter Jrue Holiday and Jason Momoa lookalike Steven Adams, Hill showcased that he can still go by putting up an average of 11.8 points, 3.1 assists, and a tick under a steal a night in only 26.3 minutes per night. He started every game, played well off of burgeoning third-year star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and looked every bit like the sort of player who would find a home on a contender by the trade deadline.

And then, he got hurt.

Hill suffered a fairly significant thumb injury on his shooting hand that required surgery at the beginning of February and was held out of basketball action until mid-April, when he took the court yet again as a member of the Sixers.

Had Hill picked up where he left off during that impressive 14 game run for the Thunder, I imagine many a Sixers fan would be overjoyed by his addition. He could have perfectly slotted into the sixth man role many initially expected from Shake Milton before his season tailed off in unspectacular fashion and would have given the Sixers a certified floor general capable of running the show in place of Ben Simmons and a viable two-guard when they share the court together.

Instead, the Sixers got a veteran presence who has admittedly been a boon to Tyrese Maxey’s development and a fundamentally sound guard who does the little things well but is not much of a shooter, scorer, or facilitator.

Though Hill did bounce back in impressive fashion in Game 4 versus Washington, knocking down 60 percent of his five shots from beyond the arc, he hasn’t even attempted a 3 pointer during each of the team’s last two contests, which, *spoiler alert* isn’t good. Even if you’re one of the better 3 point shooters in the NBA – Hill did lead the league in that category in 2019-20 – that doesn’t amount to much when you only attempt 1.4 shots from beyond the arc per game.

Sidebar: I wonder if Hill’s thumb is still not 100 percent. Considering the Sixers’ lack of outside shooting, one would assume Doc Rivers would be pushing Hill to shoot four-plus 3 pointers a game like he did in OKC, not 1.4.

If this trend continues, it’s hard to imagine Hill returning to the Sixers next season, regardless of how the season ultimately ends. He’s set to make roughly $10 million with only $1.275 million guaranteed in the final year of a three-year, $28.7 million deal he initially signed with the Bucks back in 2019, and while I highly doubt he’ll be released outright, his financial figure could factor into the trade market in a pretty significant way.

Remember when the hot rumor around town was that the Sixers would still pursue a Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade this offseason? Having Hill’s $10 million contract could help to make procuring a player on a two-year, $50 million deal a whole lot more attainable, especially if Danny Green wants to head back north of the border for a second stint in Jurassic Park.

Granted, that could still happen even if Hill turns into the second coming of Lou Williams over the next however many games, as he’s a 35-year-old combo guard at the tail end of a pretty interesting career, but if Dwight Howard‘s addition is of any indication, Daryl Morey and Doc Rivers both understandably value having experienced veterans around their Big 3.

Needless to say, there’s no one player on the Sixers’ roster whose future could fluctuate more than Hill depending on how the rest of the playoffs shake out, not even Simmons, who some think could net Damian Lillard via trade.

dark. Next. Volume shooting remains an offseason need

The Philadelphia 76ers need George Hill about as much as George Hill needs the Philadelphia 76ers moving forward. Though their marriage may be one of convenience, it could be an incredibly beneficial one if the 12th year pro can provide that veteran presence coming off the bench that the team has desperately needed over their first six playoffs games this season. If that doesn’t happen, well, he may just find himself on a team like the Charlotte Hornets or the Detroit Pistons in favor of a better-fitting piece like Terry Rozier or Terrence Ross.