Bye, George: Hill bids Spurs adios

If George Hill had known who was on the other line, he might not have answered the phone.

He was on his way to a radio interview early Thursday evening when his cell began buzzing. The screen displayed a number he didn’t recognize.

“It was like 20 digits, so I thought it was probably T.P. calling from France,” said Hill, referring to Tony Parker, his soon-to-be-former Spurs teammate.

When Hill heard Gregg Popovich’s voice answer his “hello,” he knew what came next would not be news he wanted to hear.

He was right. Popovich was calling from a secure line to inform Hill that he’d just been traded from the only NBA team he’d ever known, dealt to Indiana for a package that included San Diego State small forward Kawhi Leonard, the Pacers’ first-round draft pick.

The conversation left Hill numb and cursing his caller ID.

“If he had called from his actual, real number I probably wouldn’t have picked up,” Hill joked Friday.

As Hill said this, a group of Spurs youth campers were engaging in a scrimmage behind his right shoulder. Even on his first official day as an Indiana Pacer, Hill wasn’t finished being a Spur.

“I don’t have a grudge against the Spurs or anything like that,” Hill told assembled media at the University of the Incarnate Word. “The Spurs gave me the chance to play in the NBA. I’m thankful for that.”

When general manager R.C. Buford called trading the 25-year-old Hill “one of the most difficult decisions we’ve had to make,” the emotion was real.

As news of his trade sunk in Thursday night, Hill admitted he was too raw to properly process it. By Friday, he had settled on the bright side of his relocation.

“It was always a dream when I was a kid to play for the Pacers,” said Hill, a schoolboy star at Indianapolis’ Broad Ripple High before playing his college ball at IUPUI. “I’m excited about that.”