Little by little, the Los Angeles Lakers are putting together a balanced team that may eventually be the best in the Western Conference. The big splash was obviously getting Steve Nash, but they have also made other moves such as signing free agent Antawn Jamison. Now, the Lakers are reportedly bringing back big man Jordan Hill, who was a solid backup last season. This is not a blockbuster move, but it is a good move for a team that needs to strengthen their bench.
Doing the little things
Hill does not put up big numbers, but he has that elusive "upside" that so many teams are looking for in a low-post player. In addition, he brings energy to the lineup and he seems willing to do the dirty work inside. The Lakers have a lot of scorers, and they need guys like Hill who can come in and pull down some boards for the second unit. Granted, Hill has struggled with a few injury issues in his career, so the Lakers hope that he can stay on the floor.
Legal issues
The one immediate challenge with Hill is that he has some legal issues that may hurt his ability to stay with the Lakers. Obviously, the Lakers feel like he is going to be around or they probably would not have offered him a two-year contract. Still, he will have to resolve his problems with the law so that he can focus on basketball and contribute to the success of the Lakers.
Is the big fella coming?
These smaller deals help the team, but the NBA community is still waiting to hear whether Dwight Howard will make his way to Los Angeles. It has been quiet for a couple of days, but the rumor mill could get started again at any moment. For now, it doesn't appear that a deal for Dwight Howard is imminent, but the Lakers have surprised people before. For now, we just have to wait and see.
Sources:
http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/3994/jordan-hill
The author grew up in Seattle and now lives in Los Angeles, where he enjoys the rivalry between the Lakers and the Clippers, and all the drama that goes with being in the Southland. You can follow him on Twitter @tpheifer.
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