Kings Sign George Hill and Zach Randolph
- Shaun Holkko
- Jul 5, 2017
- 3 min read
On a day in which we celebrate our nation's independence, fans in Sacramento have a lot more to celebrate. The team made their first signings of the 2017 Free Agency period Tuesday, as they signed veterans George Hill and Zach Randolph, almost simultaneously.
Hill and the Kings agreed to a three-year, $57 Million contract this morning. The third and final year of his contract is partially guaranteed, so the Kings have some wiggle room in 2019. He has a fourth year on his deal but it is a team option.The signing was first reported by Shams Charania of The Vertical.
The Kings will become Hill's fourth NBA team. He was drafted in 2008 by the Spurs but was dealt on Draft Day 2011 to the Pacers in exchange for Kawhi Leonard. Hill then spent the next five years of his career in Indiana, making two trips to the Eastern Conference Finals, only to fall to LeBron James like many others have over the past seven seasons. Last year on July 7th, he was traded in a three-team deal to the Jazz. Hill achieved a career high in scoring during his lone season in Utah with 16.9 PPG. But today he starts the next chapter of his career, with the Kings. He's an efficient shooter, solid defender, and can play both guard spots. He's a great addition to this young team.
Approximately nine minutes later, the team inked Zach Randolph to a two-year, $24 Million contract. His contract includes a third year team option. Sham's former colleague and mentor Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, was the first to report the deal.
For most young NBA fans, they can only imagine Zach Randolph in a Memphis Grizzlies jersey. To be fair, he's spent the last eight years of his career in Memphis. Randolph began his NBA career in 2001 when he was drafted 19th overall by the Trail Blazers. He spent his first six years in Portland, earning 'Most Improved Player' in 2004. He was traded to the New York Knicks in 2007, but his tenure was short as he was dealt to the Clippers the next season. He only played 39 games as a Clipper, with his most memorable moment coming from punching Lou Amundson in the jaw. He resurrected his career with the Grizzlies becoming an All Star twice and making the All-NBA Third team in 2011. Randolph made the playoffs seven times in Memphis, with three appearances under current Kings coach, Dave Joerger. Zach is a beast in the post and an elite defender. He is extremely strong, which provides him with a great base to defend opposing players with. Randolph's contributions will come mostly off the court. He's on the backside of his career but will serve as a great mentor to all the young Kings.
Vlade and the front office hit a home run with these signings. Hill and Randolph don't make the Kings a playoff team, but that's not the point. They will serve as mentors and provide leadership in the locker room, and that's exactly what the team needs. The Kings have nine players on rookie contracts, all those young men need guidance and advice on how to succeed in the NBA. Veterans like George and Zach will provide that. The Kings are rebuilding and are doing it the right way. The front office is surrounding their young talent with veterans, unlike in years past. The front office has had a great offseason, now it's time for the players to perform on the court.
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