We have seen this movie before. George Hill, waived by the Philadelphia 76ers, has declared his intention to sign a deal which would enable him to return to the Milwaukee Bucks in a few days.
Free agent guard George Hill plans to sign with the Bucks after clearing waivers and the opening of league year Aug. 6, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The veteran PG is set to return to Milwaukee.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 3, 2021
The well-traveled Hill, by returning to the Bucks, would mark yet another example of an NBA player returning to a former team for another go-round. Dwight Howard and Trevor Ariza returned to the Lakers.
Of greater significance is that the Bucks, who had hoped Hill would be able to get them over the hump and into the NBA Finals in 2019 and 2020, are obviously interested in giving Hill a second chance, albeit with a diminished role compared to his previous stop in Wisconsin. Milwaukee turned the corner and won the NBA title because of its acquisition of Jrue Holiday, who represented an upgrade in the backcourt and provided a level of defense which proved decisive in the team's NBA Finals victory over the Phoenix Suns.
George Hill has knocked on the door of the NBA Finals for many years, just missing a championship ring at several points in his professional journey, not just with the Bucks.
He was with the Indiana Pacers in the early part of the 2010s. Bucks fans know that he and Paul George took the Miami Heat to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals in 2013, and to Game 6 in 2014.
Hill was with the 2018 Cleveland Cavaliers, who reached the NBA Finals but lost to the Golden State Warriors.
Hill then joined the Bucks for the 2018-2019 season. Milwaukee — which overcame a 2-0 series deficit on two separate occasions to win the 2021 NBA title — blew a 2-0 lead in the East finals against the Toronto Raptors.
The Bucks made one more run at the brass ring with George Hill in their backcourt in 2020. They gained the No. 1 seed in the East but were deprived of home-court advantage by the bubble setup in the pandemic. They lost to the Miami Heat in the East semifinals.
Hill then went to the Oklahoma City Thunder before being dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers. Philly was in prime position to win the East this past season but stumbled in a Game 7 meltdown at home versus the Atlanta Hawks. George Hill now returns to the Bucks, trying to help Milwaukee win a repeat championship.
Stay with ClutchPoints for more on this Bucks story and NBA free agency.
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