Thu, Jun 23, 2011 at 7:30pm

PACERS GET GEORGE HILL

The Indiana Pacers acquired combo guard George Hill from the San Antonio Spurs for the rights to forwards Kawhi Leonard, Davis Bertans and Erazem Lorbek.

What does it give the Indiana Pacers
Before last season the Pacers traded for point guard Darren Collison, and he didn't quite step up the way they expected him to. In Hill they have a more polished and well-rounded player, one who can bring a defensive element Collison sometimes lacks. Hill should push Collison early on for the starting job, and has the tools to be an NBA star.

What does it give the San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs are a somewhat aging bunch, and their rude early exit in this year's playoffs demanded a mini-shakeup. Hill didn't get the playing time his talent warranted last year, but San Antonio does a nice job here shoring up their small forward position by adding the defensively-excellent Leonard. They've missed the kind of edge he'll bring at the 3-spot since Bruce Bowen retired. For his part, Lorbek has been one of the Euroleague's better players the past several years and is a quality big man with a well-rounded game. The Spurs do a good job of convincing international players to make the jump to the NBA, so Lorbek (who is still relatively young) could prove to eventually be a steal for San Antonio. Meanwhile Bertans will probably spend a few more years honing his game abroad, but he has the goods to eventually be an NBA starter. Quite the haul for San Antonio here.

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