The Lakers further fortified their bench Friday, agreeing to terms with power forward Jordan Hill on a two-year contract for almost $8 million.
“Jordan was excited about the fact that Steve Nash decided to join the Lakers and the prospect of winning a championship in L.A.,” said Kevin Bradbury, Hill’s agent.
Hill becomes the second backup forward to join the Lakers this week after Antawn Jamison agreed to a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum of about $1.4 million.
Hill, Jamison and Josh McRoberts will back up starters Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, though Jamison can also play small forward.
The Lakers acquired Hill in March at the trade deadline in what amounted to a salary dump involving Derek Fisher and a first-round draft pick that was also sent to the Houston Rockets.
Hill, 24, became an unrestricted free agent when Houston decided not to pick up his $3.6-million option for next season before trading him to the Lakers.
The former lottery pick was a force late in the regular season and during the Lakers’ first-round playoff series against Denver, with three double-doubles in a six-game span, before fading in the Western Conference semifinals against Oklahoma City. He averaged 3.8 points and 5.0 rebounds in the series against the Thunder.
Overall, Hill averaged 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in seven regular-season games with the Lakers before those averages increased to 4.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in the playoffs.
Hill has an uncertain future, though. He faces third-degree felony charges for allegedly choking his girlfriend in February in Houston. Hill could spend up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
-Ben Bolch
