When the Indiana Pacers traded for George Hill, they gave him the option of staying with them or heading to a contender. He chose to stay and remain with his hometown team, and a franchise that he spent five seasons with earlier in his career.
Hill grew up in Indianapolis, and he hopes to retire with the Pacers franchise. Being back was a dream for the 37-year old, and he enjoyed seeing old friends and family more often.
"Just wanted to be home. This is something, and a place, that meant a lot to me," Hill said at his exit interview last month. He spoke at length about the Pacers, how the current team compares to the old one he was on, and more. He was a part of two trips to the Eastern Conference Finals with Indiana in the early 2010s.
"It's a place that I grew up being a fan my whole entire life," Hill added. He remembers sitting up in the 300 level to watch the Pacers growing up.
Hill had a veteran-heavy role with the blue and gold this season. He was a leader, and he frequently held his teammates accountable during games. He would get on his younger locker room companions during practices and taught the team a lot. He was valuable off the court.
On the court, he showed he still has something left in the tank. Hill averaged 5.2 points per game with the Pacers on 56/52/89 shooting splits while adding 1.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He played in 11 games for Indiana, all after the trade deadline.
Hill wants to remain with the Pacers. He likened the role he hopes to have going forward to the one that Udonis Haslem has had with the Miami Heat in the recent seasons. "To get the opportunity to come back here and try to hopefully pull off like a Udonis role for many years, and the organization where it means so much. It would be an honor," Hill said. He later noted that he thinks he can provide a little more on the court than the Heat veteran has of late.
He's a free agent this summer, but Hill thinks he still has something left in the tank. He would love the opportunity to stay and be Haslem for the Pacers.
He also wants to help the team get back to the playoffs, and back to the glory they once had. The veteran guard has experienced that feeling, and that success, in Indiana. He hopes to see it again with the current group.
"Be a part of something that I know can happen, and I've been a part of a good part of it [in Indiana]. To see it get back there," Hill said of his hopes. His guidance will be key in something like that happening.
"I would love the opportunity [to stay]," Hill added.
The vet was a part of the last great Pacers team, and his defense was critical on those teams. His pick-and-roll defense was special, and that skill of his landed him roles on several title contending teams over the years. Hill knows a thing or two about defense.
Indiana had the best defense in the NBA from 2012-2014, and Hill was a big part of that. He knows what it takes to be a member of a high-level defense, and he also knows that the current Pacers need to grow significantly on that end of the floor if they want to reach the heights they did one decade ago.
"No matter what, defense, in any team, should be a priority," Hill said of the team's growth.
If Hill is back next season and operating in a Haslem-like role, his mentoring skills will be vital in improving the Pacers defense. If Hill has it his way, that's exactly how he ends his NBA career.
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