10 Worst free agent signings in Minnesota Timberwolves history
By Will Eudy
7. Jordan Hill
Signing on with Minnesota in the 2016 offseason, Jordan Hill agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal with the team heading into the 2016-17 season. Coming off a solid campaign with the Pacers and just one year removed from a career year with the Lakers where he averaged 12.0 points and 7.9 rebounds, the signing appeared to be an excellent addition heading into Tom Thibodeau’s first year as Wolves Head Coach.
However, fit-wise, this move was probably a mistake from the start. Hill was added to a Timberwolves roster that was already jam-packed with talent in the frontcourt. Karl-Anthony Towns, Nikola Pekovic, Gorgui Dieng, and Nemanja Bjelica all played at least 18 minutes per game for the Wolves that season.
It was unclear whether Thibodeau desired to see him in more of a locker room mentor role or if he simply could not crack the rotation, but the 29-year old Jordan Hill played in just seven games for Minnesota in 2016-17, averaging 1.7 points per outing. After being released by the team in June 2017, Hill was not picked up by any other NBA teams for the following season, ending his time in the league.
The impact of Hill’s dud of a season and subsequent departure from Minnesota were softened by the fact that he was playing on a relatively cheap contract. But all things considered, his signing was still a rather large disappointment given how he was expected to contribute.