AP source: Pelicans land former Pacers forward Hill
The New Orleans Pelicans and former Indiana Pacers forward Solomon Hill have agreed to a four-year contract worth about $50 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Friday.
The person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract cannot be signed until July 7, said the contract is worth at least $48 million, with additional incentives of about $2 million.
Later in the day, the Pelicans agreed to terms with veteran combo guard E'Twaun Moore on a four-year, $34 million deal, which was announced by Moore's agency, Priority Sports.
Hill's decision was influenced by a meeting with Pelicans personnel, including coach Alvin Gentry, shortly after free agency began Friday at midnight EDT, the person said.
Hill is expected to enter training camp as a front-runner to start at small forward. Hill wrote on Twitter: ''Looking forward to continuing to live my dream with the (at)PelicansNBA.''
The 6-foot-7 Hill has averaged 6.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in his first three NBA seasons since the Pacers drafted him 23rd overall in 2013 out of Arizona.
He averaged 4.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in a little more than 14 minutes during this past regular season, but his playing time rose dramatically late in the season as games took on greater importance.
He wound up averaging 7.7 points and four rebounds in about 28 minutes per game during the Pacers' seven-game, opening-round playoff series loss to Toronto.
Now Hill will have a chance to explore his potential as a powerful, versatile wing player in a lineup headlined by All-Star forward Anthony Davis and guard Jrue Holiday.
Hill's acquisition also reduces the Pelicans' reliance on small forward Quincy Pondexter, who helped New Orleans make the playoffs two seasons ago, but missed all of last season because of a setback during his recovery from microfracture surgery on his left knee.
Moore spent the previous two seasons in Chicago and has earned the reputation as a hard-nosed, defensive-oriented guard who will bring some more toughness to the Pelicans backcourt. He averaged 7.5 points and shot 45 percent on 3-pointers last season.
New Orleans won only 30 games and missed the playoffs last season, Gentry's first as the club's coach. But the Pelicans were riddled with injuries to regulars, including Tyreke Evans (57 games missed), Eric Gordon (37 games missed), Davis (21 games missed), Holiday (17 games missed), Ryan Anderson (16 games missed) and Omer Asik (14 games missed).
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AP Basketball Writer Jon Krawczynski contributed to this report.