Timberwolves reportedly sign Jordan Hill to two-year contract

The Timberwolves have reportedly signed veteran big man Jordan Hill to a two-year, $8 million contract, filling their 15^th and final guaranteed roster spot.

The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press reported the news within about one minute of each other on Wednesday afternoon, so we’ll quote them both here.

On its face, this seems like somewhat of a superfluous signing. The Timberwolves already have Karl-Anthony Towns, Gorgui Dieng, and Cole Aldrich on the roster, and that doesn’t even include the likes of Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Garnett, who are both under contract but may or may not see the court next year.

At least four of the five above-mentioned players are best utilized at the center spot, and Jordan Hill is best-served at that position as well.

But let’s first talk about Hill as a player, and then dive a bit deeper into what Tom Thibodeau and Scott Layden may be thinking with their newest addition.

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Hill is entering his eighth NBA season after spending last year with the Indiana Pacers in what was largely a reserve role. He was originally drafted by the New York Knicks and also spent time with the Houston Rockets, but saw his heaviest playing time over two-and-a-half seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.

He’s a solid all-around player, and isn’t significantly above-average at any one thing. He’s a good rebounder, a decent one-on-one defender and can score in the paint when needed. Hill has been shooting more short-to-mid-range jumpers over the past couple of seasons, with varying success. Truthfully, he’s best when he doesn’t rely on those attempts and simply concentrates on hitting the offensive glass.

The biggest thing that Hill has going for him is that he’s a big, mobile body that will slot in nicely with Thibodeau’s defensive scheme.

On of the Wolves other off-season signings, Cole Aldrich, is a better player and should ultimately see more minutes for the Wolves this season, but depth in the front court is never a bad thing to have – and especially not at the price of $8 million over two years.

Hill can also play some power forward, although it would probably be in a lineup with either Towns or Dieng at the five.

What all of the above tells me is that Thibodeau might believe that Towns, while a match-up nightmare at the center spot, might be better-served to play most of his minutes at power forward in the short term. This could be to encourage him to handle the ball more and further improve his perimeter skills, but it’s more likely an acknowledgement of the toll that playing heavy minutes at center at the NBA level will take a significant toll on Towns’ body very early in his promising career.

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At any rate, this is an outstanding value signing, even if the fit seems to be a bit awkward at the moment. Remember, the off-season is not over, and there could be more moves on the horizon.