Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

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  • Tron
    Member
    • Oct 2012
    • 51

    #91
    Re: Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

    Originally posted by BillS
    Clearly in the world of "what have you done for me lately" hindsight, the trade seems like it is no-brainer bad.

    But I really don't understand how history has gotten rewritten that Hill failed to do exactly what we needed him to do in those first couple of years. Remember he was a sixth man in SA with occasional starts - that's what we expected him to do here. While he got to start due to injury, it became clear even after DC came back that Hill's defense was miles better. At that time, Hill was performing ABOVE what we had gotten him to do.

    We simply did not have the luxury to develop Kawhi. If we had tried, there would be people today screaming about how terrible it is that Lance was stuck on the bench and why could we not find minutes for this amazing player we probably ended up trading for someone else.

    As long as fans live in hindsight, forgetting anything between then and now, there will be something to be upset about.
    Also don't forget Hill when Granger went down in the beginning of '12-'13. The team wouldn't have been near .500 about 30 games in without Hill and West.

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    • Ace E.Anderson
      Member
      • Dec 2011
      • 18261

      #92
      Re: Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

      Originally posted by BillS
      Clearly in the world of "what have you done for me lately" hindsight, the trade seems like it is no-brainer bad.

      But I really don't understand how history has gotten rewritten that Hill failed to do exactly what we needed him to do in those first couple of years. Remember he was a sixth man in SA with occasional starts - that's what we expected him to do here. While he got to start due to injury, it became clear even after DC came back that Hill's defense was miles better. At that time, Hill was performing ABOVE what we had gotten him to do.

      We simply did not have the luxury to develop Kawhi. If we had tried, there would be people today screaming about how terrible it is that Lance was stuck on the bench and why could we not find minutes for this amazing player we probably ended up trading for someone else.

      As long as fans live in hindsight, forgetting anything between then and now, there will be something to be upset about.
      Ya know, I never looked at it that way - but you're totally right. Hill wasn't originally brought in to be our starting PG, because we still had DC whom we thought was our PG. Hill was brought in to be our 6th man, and eventually was turned into our starter after that 14-5 (I do believe) stretch with him as the starter towards the end of the '11-12 season.

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      • Nuntius
        Member
        • Jan 2012
        • 35969

        #93
        Re: Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

        Originally posted by Bball
        So is Pop the only coach in the world capable of making his players better and finding a system that lets his players succeed? Is there no inbetween? If the coach isn't good enough to do that, is he good enough to be your coach?
        No, Pop isn't the only one. He is just the best at it by a wide margin. There is obviously an inbetween that contains the rest of the good coaches and Frank is in there.

        It's just that Frank (or any other good to great coach) isn't Pop. There is only one Gregg Popovich.
        Originally posted by IrishPacer
        Empty vessels make the most noise.

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        • Justin Tyme
          Member
          • Mar 2008
          • 13491

          #94
          Re: Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

          From the Spurs view the deal was right, and as I said before the Spurs wouldn't have won the 2014 championship with George Hill instead of Leonard. I'll say this again, the Pacers will NEVER win a championship with George Hill as the PG. You can take it to the bank, bet the farm on it as it will NEVER EVER HAPPEN.

          I'm not saying Hill can't be on a Pacers championship team, just not Hill being the starting PG. If the FO doesn't see that, then don't expect to go any further in the playoffs than the last 2 years.

          Comment

          • Justin Tyme
            Member
            • Mar 2008
            • 13491

            #95
            Re: Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

            Originally posted by Tron
            Also don't forget Hill when Granger went down in the beginning of '12-'13. The team wouldn't have been near .500 about 30 games in without Hill and West.

            I'm so glad you added the DWest part.

            Comment

            • Unclebuck
              Administrator
              • Jan 2004
              • 36200

              #96
              Re: Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

              Originally posted by Justin Tyme
              I'll say this again, the Pacers will NEVER win a championship with George Hill as the PG. You can take it to the bank, bet the farm on it as it will NEVER EVER HAPPEN.

              I think it certainly could happen. I won't rule it out. If Lance and PG mature well over the next two season (assuming Lance is here) I think a championship is certainly possible.

              I am more worried about our bigs going forward.

              Comment

              • Ace E.Anderson
                Member
                • Dec 2011
                • 18261

                #97
                Re: Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

                Originally posted by Justin Tyme
                I'm so glad you added the DWest part.
                Whether you personally like him or not, Hill was a BIG part of keeping that team afloat. He had a few game winning shots (@TOR, @ Lakers, @ NO Hornets) and was averaging nearly 16 a game through November/December.

                He then chipped in another 15 ppg during the playoff run that year.

                Whether or not he's a starting PG on a championship team could be debatable but this idea that he's completely inept and hasn't contributed to this teams success in a big way since his arrival is trivial. Easily the most under appreciated player within this forum IMO.

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                • BlueCollarColts
                  Member
                  • Oct 2012
                  • 9569

                  #98
                  Re: Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

                  Fan easier, fan faster and fan better with Bleacher Report. Keep up with the latest storylines, expert analysis, highlights and scores for all your favorite sports.


                  Ignorant fan tweets about how he would take Leonard over Paul George all day, and KD tweets back u trippin' and claims Leonard is a product of the Spurs system.

                  Comment

                  • PacerPenguins
                    Member
                    • Jun 2010
                    • 7018

                    #99
                    Re: Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

                    Originally posted by BlueCollarColts
                    http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...f-spurs-system

                    Ignorant fan tweets about how he would take Leonard over Paul George all day, and KD tweets back u trippin' and claims Leonard is a product of the Spurs system.
                    Leonard is good no doubt but KD is right. In a couple of years when Kawhi has to be the star we will see what he is capapble of. No doubt he is a great defender but I don't buy int his offensive game.

                    Comment

                    • Tom White
                      Member
                      • Jan 2004
                      • 5705

                      Re: Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

                      I'll answer the original question with this - The Spurs certainly liked Leonard better than Hill.

                      Comment

                      • BillS
                        Angry Old Poster
                        • Mar 2004
                        • 21681

                        Re: Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

                        Originally posted by Tom White
                        I'll answer the original question with this - The Spurs certainly liked Leonard better than Hill.
                        They were in a position to - as well as being squeezed by the cap and Hill's contract. Remember back - there was speculation by more in the NBA world than just people fooled by San Antonio that they would not have done the deal if Hill had not been up against a new contract.
                        BillS

                        A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
                        Or throw in a first-round pick and flip it for a max-level point guard...

                        Comment

                        • doctor-h
                          Member
                          • Feb 2011
                          • 1142

                          Re: Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

                          Originally posted by Kid Minneapolis
                          Hill had some massive playoff games in S.A. He routinely played a similar role in that team.
                          Would you remind us of the MASSIVE playoff games Hill had with San Antonio

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                          • Kstat
                            Rebound King
                            • Jan 2004
                            • 34208

                            Re: Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

                            Hill had a massive series against Dallas in the playoffs, and was so badly outplayed in the following round against the Suns that he got removed from the starting lineup halfway through and never played another game for the Spurs again.

                            It wasn't about being the team everyone loved, it was about beating the teams everyone else loved.

                            Division Champions 1955, 1956, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
                            Conference Champions 1955, 1956, 1988, 2005
                            NBA Champions 1989, 1990, 2004

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                            • Sollozzo
                              Member
                              • Jan 2004
                              • 27459

                              Re: Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

                              Originally posted by Kstat
                              Hill had a massive series against Dallas in the playoffs, and was so badly outplayed in the following round against the Suns that he got removed from the starting lineup halfway through and never played another game for the Spurs again.
                              Not true. That was the 2010 playoffs you're referring to. Hill played another season in SA after that and his final series was when the 8 seeded Grizz beat them.

                              Comment

                              • Ace E.Anderson
                                Member
                                • Dec 2011
                                • 18261

                                Re: Would we be a better team right now if we would have kept K. Leonard?

                                Originally posted by Kstat
                                Hill had a massive series against Dallas in the playoffs, and was so badly outplayed in the following round against the Suns that he got removed from the starting lineup halfway through and never played another game for the Spurs again.
                                You're off on a few points here.

                                During the 2010 series against DAL Hill averaged 12 ppg, but 20.2 ppg over the last 4. He then averaged 12 ppg against the Suns. He was taken out of the starting lineup after game 2 where he scored 14 points. He was the Spurs leading scorer in game 4 with 17 off the bench.

                                He would then play another season with SA where they were the number 1 seed and lost to MEM in 7 games. He started game 1, and came off the bench for the rest of the series, but was still solid in averaging 12 and 5 rebs.

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