Tag: George Hill

Neal happy to see Ford in camp

With the draft-night trade of George Hill to Indiana, the Spurs’ backcourt depth figured to be a little depleted.

Because of Hill’s departure, Gary Neal worked extensively at the point this summer during workouts in Baltimore with the assumption his minutes would increase at the position.

The arrival of T.J. Ford has changed all that.

“Yeah, I didn’t know the Spurs were going to sign a point guard. I didn’t know they were going to sign T.J.,” Neal said. “So my skill work in the summer was basically trying to develop my skills as a point guard a little bit and try to enhance my decision making a little bit.”

With Ford, a six-season NBA veteran at the point, Neal likely won’t see much action there.  But Neal is ready if needed at the point.

“I was happy to see that,” Neal said with a chuckle. “But yeah, if something was to happen and they needed another point guard to play the spot for 10 or 15 minutes, I’m comfortable in my abilities to do it.”

Ford excited for his Texas return

Houston-area native and former Texas player T.J. Ford couldn’t be happier about his return to the area of his college success.

Ford said he had other opportunities, but was more excited about the opportunity to have a homecoming of sorts by joining the Spurs.

“In the eight years of my career I’ve been in the midwest, the east coast … far from home,” said Ford, who attended Sugarland Willowridge before spending two seasons with the Longhorns. “I have a lot of family and friends between Houston and Austin, so there’s a lot of opportunity for them to come see me play. Just to feel the love and the atmosphere, it feels good.”

Those good feelings and the opportunity for playing time with the Spurs were the biggest reasons he chose San Antonio.

“I think they wanted me. That was the big thing for me,” Ford said. “ I just felt it was the right fit from the time I got that first phone call. I didn’t think about any other team.

“I had other offers, but I don’t think I could have gotten a better situation than being in San Antonio.”

And the opportunity for playing time in place of the traded George Hill also had to factor into the decision.

The Spurs have had only one former Longhorn on their roster in their previous history. Johnny Moore played all but one game in his 520-game NBA career with the Spurs from 1980-90.

The team will have two former UT players this year in Ford and rookie guard Cory Joseph, the team’s first-round draft pick this season.

George Hill considering playing in Europe during lockout

Former Spurs guard George Hill always has enjoyed basketball competition.

The lockout has to be killing Hill, even with the excitement of moving back home to play for the Indiana Pacers after his trade there by the Spurs last month in the Kawhi Leonard swap.

Now, it appears that Hill during the lockout.

Hill’s agent Michael Whitaker told Hoops Hype.com that his client is taking a “wait and see approach” to going overseas to play.  

“If a team with the appropriate budget – that’s an Euroleague or Eurocup team – is willing to give him an NBA out if and when the lockout ends, George will highly consider the offer,” Whitaker said. “If the NBA season is fully canceled, it will be more likely that George pursues an opportunity to play in Europe or China.

“We had a few Euroleague and Eurocup teams very interested and willing to grant him an NBA out, but at the time George was not ready to commit to such offers.

“If such an offer comes at this point, I believe George will be more willing to consider it and accept it.”

Hill’s attitude to playing overseas is similar to those of other players.

If he is convinced there will be no basketball played in the NBA this season because of the lockout, he’ll be ready to play somewhere else.