Ranking 24 worst Lakers starters of the Kobe Bryant era
By Tyler Watts
15. Jordan Hill
Hill was the eighth overall pick in 2009 by the Knicks, but he lasted just eight months in New York before being traded to the Rockets in the T-Mac deal.
The 6’10 big man was the backup in Houston for two years before coming to the Lakers in a trade. LA dumped Derek Fisher and a first-round pick to acquire Hill, but he barely played until the playoffs. Hill was the backup center in the postseason and averaged 18.1 minutes per game.
He struggled to get playing time the following year before being a key part of their rotation over the next two seasons. Hill started 32 games in the 2013-14 campaign but had the best year of his career in 2014-15. The 6’10 big man averaged 12.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 26.8 minutes per game. The Lakers won just 21 games as Kobe Bryant was limited to 35 contests, but it earned Hill a $4 million deal from the Pacers in free agency the following summer.
Jordan Hill spent parts of four seasons with the Lakers where he averaged 9.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 22.0 minutes per game. The 6’10 big man made 91 starts with the Lakers, but just 29 elsewhere. He was a backup big man that was overplayed in LA.