“It’s Jordan Hill,” I exclaimed in my head, but perhaps in a calm state of mind due to the relaxing atmosphere in which I had just exited (yeah, right), I shook his hand, did a 180 degree spin (much like the Michael Jackson spin I attempted the night before, which resulted in a sprained ankle), and walked alongside the Lakers forward to offer a few words of encouragement.
“Hey man, keep doin’ what you’re doin’; you’re gonna be a rotation player next season. You’re gonna be a big part of the future,” I said.
“Thanks bro, I appreciate it,” responded Hill, who genuinely seemed to appreciate the support.
Although I truly believed what I said, little did I know that Dwight Howard would leave the Lakers and leave Jordan Hill with a potentially increased role.
While the Lakers have their core group of players in Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, and Pau Gasol, as well as a group of fresh faces in the forms of Chris Kaman, Nick Young, Wesley Johnson, Jordan Farmar (well, somewhat fresh), and the rest of the bunch, Jordan Hill is one of the few holdover role players — and he very well could be an X-Factor for the Lakers next season.
While Mike D’Antoni wants Hill to expand his game to become a “stretch four,” Phillip Barnett explained why that ambition may be a bit unrealistic earlier this month.
Additionally, Barnett explained how Hill had an insane ORB% (Offensive Rebound Percentage) in a limited 29 games last season, and should stick to doing what he does best–cleaning up the offensive glass.
I certainly agree with this, but I also believe D’Antoni can squeeze even more offense out of Hill, and shouldn’t bench him in the event that he doesn’t become a long range threat over the summer. He just has to do it the way he did it in Phoenix with numerous offensively unpolished forwards — through the pick-and-roll.
Next: How Hill Can Be Efficient Without The Long Ball
Therefore, it would be wise to use Hill closer to the basket where he is comfortable, perhaps even running a play or two for him. As mentioned earlier, Hill’s offensive rebounding is a huge plus, and largely accounts for the more than half (52.7 percent) of his offense that’s counted as “unassisted” around the rim (less than five feet).
In comparison, last season, Dwight Howard’s converted shots in the same range were assisted 69.8 percent of the time; Howard had a higher eFG% in that range, however, at 65.7, as opposed to 61.8 percent by Hill.
With Hill’s relative agility, power, and ability to finish around the rim, turning him into a pick-and-roll threat could boost the Lakers’ offensive potency. Also, as mentioned, just as Howard’s production close to the rim last season was a result of assisted plays, plenty of those plays came as a result of Gasol’s superior passing coupled with his unselfishness.
I’m not saying take Pau out of the post by any means as he’s one of the best low-post players in the game, but he’s an extremely effective passer from the high-post and flourishes when he’s able to mix it up on the offensive end of the floor.
Additionally, I can certainly see Chris Kaman and Jordan Hill coexisting quite well, too. Besides shots at the rim, Kaman is most comfortable taking shots in the 15-19 foot range and excels at it with an eFG% of 51.4, which could certainly spread the floor for Hill to either collect offensive rebounds, be the recipient of pick-and-rolls, or be the beneficiary of some high-low action (although Kaman isn’t a prolific assists guy like Pau).
Size has been the Lakers’ biggest advantage the Lakers have had over teams since 2008, and although the front line may not be as formidable on paper as it once was with Andrew Bynum or Dwight Howard, rebounding and solid defense are two keys to winning any basketball game; they are also two areas in which Jordan Hill is quite capable.
On the defensive side of the ball, if the Lakers want any chance at being a solid defending team, they’ll have to play Hill. As Drew Garrison of Silver Screen & Roll details, Jordan is the Lakers’ best front court defender, and will likely be one of Kurt Rambis’ key weapons.
The intangibles Hill brings to the table are his greatest attributes, though.
Although not an elite one-on-one defender, Hill’s certainly an active team defender who adds a certain physicality to the game. With Metta World Peace gone, that type of physical player is an absolute necessity for the Lakers. His hustle and “Garbage Man” mentality are attributes that can greatly help a team find the energy to gut out a tough win.
Despite his capability of producing double-doubles on a regular basis, his numbers won’t reflect the impact he has on most nights.
Moreover, he may not even get major minutes on certain nights, but he’s proven that he can be productive and make an impact in a limited amount of time on the floor.
If he can stay healthy, Jordan Hill can be a constant for the Lakers — someone who fans, coaches, management, and teammates can all expect to deliver 100 percent each and every night.
He just may be the Lakers’ X-Factor.
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