It appears that former Arizona Wildcat Solomon Hill is on the move as ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting Thursday that the Atlanta Hawks have acquired New Orleans No. 4 pick in the draft for No. 8 and 17 and 35. The Pelicans are sending Solomon Hill, No. 57 pick and a future second-round pick. Not a subscriber? Sign up now to get all the great information on the premium boards and all of the premium stories on WildcatAuthority.com! Click here to subscribe! Hill was owed $12.3 million this season and roughly $12.8 million in 2019-20, so moving him would allow the Pelicans to clear his cap space. Hill's contract with the Pelicans is mostly based on his play with the Indiana Pacers. In 2013, Hill was selected with the 23rd overall pick and on July 3, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Pacers. In October of 2014, the Pacers exercised their third-year team option on Hill's rookie scale contract, extending the contract through the 2015–16 season. Hill appeared in all 82 games for the Pacers in 2014–15, as the team missed the playoffs with a 38–44 record. Serving as the Pacers' starting small forward with Paul George out injured for most of the season, Hill managed 78 starts and finished with averages of 8.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 29.0 minutes per game. Hill had a successful career at Arizona, though his NBA contract came as a surprise to many because of the overall value. In his freshman season at Arizona, he was a steady contributor for the Wildcats both starting and off the bench. He started 21 of 31 games and he averaged 6.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 25.3 minutes per game. In his sophomore season, he was one of just three Wildcats to start every game. He was named to iBN Sports Las Vegas Invitational all-tournament team after averaging 11.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in event's four games. In 38 games started, Hill averaged 8.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 25.2 minutes per game. In his junior season, he was named to the All-Pac-12 first team, the NABC All-District 20 first team and the Pacific Life Pac-12 All-Tournament team. He was also named Arizona's Most Outstanding Player by the coaching staff. In 35 starts, he averaged 12.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 steals in 32.4 minutes per game. In his senior season, he was named to the All-Pac-12 first team and the NABC All-District 20 first team for the second straight year. He was also a USBWA all-District IX first team honoree and the winner of the Sapphire Award, given to Arizona's male athlete of the year. In 35 games starts, he averaged 13.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals in 33.0 minutes per game. In December 2012, he was awarded the MVP of the 2012 Diamond Head Classic after averaging 12.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in the three games.<doc-sep>The New Orleans Pelicans are showing just how serious they are about a potential Anthony Davis trade. New Orleans benched Solomon Hill for Monday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers and started Kenrich Williams start in his place. What makes this significant? Hill is one of the pieces involved in a potential trade of Davis. In New Orleans’ trade discussions with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Pelicans are seeking salary cap relief in addition to young players and future draft picks. A report from the Los Angeles Times says the potential trade would be six Lakers players and two future first-round picks to the Pelicans for Hill and Davis. Hill is making $12.7 million this season and $13.2 million next season, so unloading him would clear some salary cap space for New Orleans next season. It’s somewhat standard practice to hold out a player who is involved in trade talks; teams want to ensure the players remain healthy because an injury could scuttle a potential deal. Though the Lakers would plan to waive Hill via the stretch provision, they would be so short on players this season after making such a trade that they would probably need Hill.<doc-sep>
The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to work out a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans for Anthony Davis before Thursday’s trade deadline, and a former Arizona Wildcat is a key piece in the discussions. The Pelicans want salary cap relief in any trade that involves Davis and reportedly that could mean jettisoning Solomon Hill, who is in the third year of a four-year, $48 million contract he signed with New Orleans back in the summer of 2016. Hill is owed $12.3 million this season and roughly $12.8 million in 2019-20, per Spotrac, a steep price tag for a guy averaging four points per game. Brad Turner of the LA Times reports the Lakers are willing to take on Hill’s contract, plus ship Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, Michael Beasley and two first-round picks to New Orleans for Davis. Landed in Indy; update on Lakers-Pelicans talks. Magic Johnson, Dell Demps talked twice today, per source. Lakers willing to give Pelicans cap relief for Anthony Davis by taking Solomon Hill for Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Ingram, Rondo, Lance Stephenson, Beasley, 2 1st round picks. — Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) February 4, 2019 While that would represent a homecoming for Hill, an L.A. native, his stay with the Lakers would probably be short. Citing an unnamed source, Turner reports the Lakers would use the stretch provision on Hill, which essentially means they would waive him after this season and spread his cap hit over three seasons instead of one.