The Utah Jazz introduced two of their newest acquisitions as they introduced both George Hill and Joe Johnson to the media on Friday.
Here is Dennis Lindsey of the Utah Jazz talking about the latest news surrounding his team:
The Utah Jazz announced on Friday that the team has signed free-agent guard Joe Johnson. Per team policy, financial terms were not released.
Joe Johnson (6-7, 240, Arkansas) is a 15-year veteran and seven-time NBA All-Star who owns career averages of 16.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting .372 from three-point range in 36.0 minutes over 1,143 career games (1,073 starts) with Boston, Phoenix, Atlanta, Brooklyn and Miami. This past season with the Nets and Heat, he averaged 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. Johnson recorded 10 games of 20-plus points, three double-doubles and 13 games with three-or more three-point field goals made. Johnson has made the playoffs in 11 of his 15 seasons, appearing in 101 career playoff games (95 starts), averaging 16.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
Originally selected in the first round (10th overall) of the 2001 NBA Draft by Boston, Johnson earned All-NBA Third Team honors in 2010 and was selected as an NBA All-Star from 2007-12 as well as in 2014. He has appeared in 79-plus regular season games in 10 different seasons, including all 82 games five times, and ranks ninth on the NBA’s all-time list for both three-pointers made (1,832) and attempted (4,928).
Prior to the NBA, Johnson played two seasons at the University of Arkansas from 1999-01. He averaged 15.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 30.3 minutes and was All-SEC Second Team selection by the conference coaches in 2001.
Born in Little Rock, Ark., Johnson played high school basketball at Little Rock Central and was named 1999 Arkansas Mr. Basketball following his senior season. He also won a bronze medal with Team USA at the FIBA World Cup 2006.
He will wear jersey #6 for the Jazz. Here he is with the media:
The Utah Jazz officially announced on Thursday that the team has acquired guard George Hill from the Indiana Pacers as part of a three-team trade with the Pacers and Atlanta Hawks, pending the outcome of physicals. As part of the deal, the Jazz traded the draft rights to Taurean Prince to Atlanta, who sent guard Jeff Teague to Indiana.
Hill (6-3, 188, IUPUI) appeared in 74 games (73 starts) for the Pacers this season, averaging 12.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting a career-high .408 (128-314) from three-point range in 34.1 minutes of action. Hill’s seventh-seeded Pacers then pushed second-seed Toronto to seven games as he averaged 13.6 points on .481 (13-27) three-point shooting.
Originally selected in the first round (26th overall selection) of the 2008 NBA Draft by San Antonio, the 30-year-old guard has appeared in 550 career games (325 starts) over eight seasons with San Antonio and Indiana, and owns career averages of 11.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists and .376 three-point shooting in 28.8 minutes. His teams have made the playoffs in seven of his eight seasons and he has appeared in a total of 75 playoffs games (64 starts) averaging 12.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 steals and a .371 three-point percentage. Hill helped the Indiana Pacers to two straight Eastern Conference Finals appearances in 2013 and 2014.
Prior to the NBA, the Indianapolis native played four seasons at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (2004-08) where he was named The Summit League Player of the Year (2008) and All-Summit League First Team twice (2006, 2008). For his collegiate career, Hill appeared in 94 games and averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 33.4 minutes.
George Hill will wear uniform #3 for the Jazz. Here he is with the media on Friday:
