Player Notes

Hill finished the 2012-13 season averaging 14.2 points (44.3/36.8/81.7) with 4.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals in a career-high 34.5 minutes.
Recommendation: When the Pacers were a .500 team early in the season, Hill and David West carried the Pacers. Hill was never supposed to be the team's third leading scorer, but Danny Granger's knee injury and Roy Hibbert's offensive malaise forced him to look for his shot more often. With a healthy Granger in 2013-14 and perhaps a more confident Hibbert, Hill won't be asked to carry as heavy a scoring load. But he's still more of a combo guard, so we're not expecting 7-to-8 assists per game.

Westbrook has rid himself of crutches, as he continues his rehabilitation from surgery on April 27 to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, The Oklahoman reports.
Recommendation: The development is a significant one, as Westbrook's range of motion is likely improving by the day. It remains to be seen the next step in the recovery process, but he should reach full health well before training camp begins in the fall.

Stephenson is expected to play a role off the Pacers' bench next season if Danny Granger (knee) returns to full health, the Indianapolis Star reports. Indiana coach Frank Vogel anticipates a healthy Granger being a starter, which knocks Stephenson back to the bench.
Recommendation: Stephenson enjoyed his finest season as a pro in 2012-13, taking advantage of increased playing time because of Granger's knee injury. He was a key cog in the Pacers' playoff run, when he averaged 7.6 rebounds. Can he be as effective in shorter minutes off the bench? What will be asked of him as a reserve? The Pacers had a pretty weak bench for much of the season and could really use a reliable scorer. We're not sure Stephenson's ready for that.

Miller is the logical candidate to be moved to the bench, if Miami changes up its starting lineup, Yahoo! Sports reports. When asked about it, coach Erik Spoelstra said, "We'll find out."
Recommendation: Considering the Spurs were able to counter punch effectively in Game 5 with a small starting five featuring Manu Ginobili, perhaps the Heat are contemplating a more traditional lineup, with Udonis Haslem and Chris Andersen experiencing a modest bump in playing time. After getting blanked, scoring-wise, in his two starts, Miller could move back to the bench, from which he knocked down 10-of-11 three-pointers during the first three contests of the finals.

James recorded a triple-double in the Heat's overtime win against the Spurs in Game 6 on Tuesday. He finished with 32 points (11-26 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 9-12 FT), 10 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals, and a block in 50 minutes.
Recommendation: James picked up his intensity near the end of the game and did so while playing the entire second half and overtime. He lost his headband during the second half and played the rest of the game without it. James' triple-double was his 11th career postseason triple-double.

Hibbert finished the postseason averaging 17.0 points on 51.1 percent shooting with 9.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 19 games for the Pacers. He really took off in the playoffs after showing inconsistent offense from October to April, and he did so while averaging more minutes per game.
Recommendation: The Pacers would like to see the confidence on display during the playoffs carry forth to next season. More importantly, though, Hibbert needs to make shots more consistently. A seven-footer can't be flirting with 40 percent from the field, as he was doing much of the season.

Mills played 58 games during the regular season, averaging 11 minutes per game.
Recommendation: Mills played in a limited role for the deep Spurs' bench. He was behind fellow guards Nando De Colo and Cory Joseph for playing time. For the season, he averaged 5.1 points (on 46.9 percent shooting) and 1.1 assists. He's a contributor for three-pointers when given minutes but is often overlooked due to the Spurs' depth. Mills has a player option for the 2013-14 season that he's likely to accept to remain in San Antonio.

Hansbrough finished the 2012-13 season averaging 7.0 points (43.2 percent from the floor and 72 percent at the foul line) with 4.6 rebounds in a career-low 16.9 minutes.
Recommendation: Hansbrough experienced a further drop in playing time during the 19-game playoff run, as the team's weak bench was a non-factor in the postseason. He appears to have become less important to the team's rotation than he had been the past few years, but still, we expect the Pacers to extend a qualifying offer to Hansbrough and retain him for another season.

Andersen will likely be back in the Heat's rotation for Tuesday's Game 6 against the Spurs, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.
Recommendation: During the first three games of the series, Andersen averaged 12.7 minutes nightly, but coach Erik Spoelstra trotted out small-ball lineups in each of the past two contests, which have kept him glued to the bench. Andersen's energy in the frontcourt has been quite valuable during Miami's playoff run, as he has tallied six points, 2.3 boards, and 0.7 blocks per tilt when he has taken the court in the series.

Green may not find as much daylight from three-point range during Tuesday's Game 6 in Miami, ESPN.com reports. The Heat's Chris Bosh said, "...he won't be open tonight. We'll see how he shoots with somebody always on him."
Recommendation: Instead of focusing on Tony Parker, whose crisp passes and deft drives generally spur a series of events that lead to open looks, Miami will now keep a defender on Green, seemingly at all times. The Heat's previous scheme allowed numerous open looks from deep, and Green took advantage, hitting an NBA-record 25 treys in 38 attempts. With more attention paid to Green, time will tell who prospers on the Spurs, but the entire backcourt -- Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Gary Neal -- figures to pick up the slack.

Mayo averaged 15.3 points, 4.4 assists and 4.5 rebounds in his first season with the Mavericks.
Recommendation: After spending the past two seasons with the Grizzlies as the team's sixth man, Mayo signed with the Mavericks this offseason and started all 82 games. He got off to a very hot start, averaging 20.9 points per game in the month of November and making two or more 3-pointers in 12 of his first 13 games. However, his numbers curtailed as the season progressed and the return of Dirk Nowitzki reduced his shot attempts. Mayo recently announced he would exercise his player option and become a free agent this offseason. While both he and the Mavericks are believed to be interested in a long-term deal, the team's financial situation is murky at this point. Mayo will undoubtedly draw interest from a number of teams - potentially Minnesota, Phoenix or Milwaukee - looking for a shooting guard.

Jenkins averaged 6.1 points on 44.6 percent shooting in his first NBA season.
Recommendation: Jenkins, the 23rd overall selection in the 2012 draft, was brought in primarily for his shooting prowess. In college, he led the SEC in scoring twice and shot nearly 44 percent from beyond the arc in his career. He appeared in 61 games for the Hawks and saw his playing time increase following a season-ending ACL injury to the newly-acquired Lou Williams in January. However, with established marksman Kyle Korver already on the roster, Jenkins was never able to emerge as the primary shooter. He played well in a short, mid-season D-League stint (51 points in two games) and will likely be a member of the team's summer league squad this offseason. As per his rookie deal, Jenkins is under contract for next season and the Hawks hold club options for 2014-15 and 2015-16. The team's roster could look very different next season but expect Jenkins to once again contribu! te as a shooter off the bench.

Horford averaged career highs in points (17.4), rebounds (10.2) and minutes (37.2) in 2012-13.
Recommendation: After missing the vast majority of last season with a torn pectoral muscle, Horford returned to form and emerged as one of the NBA's best big men. The former Florida star often played out of position alongside Josh Smith but still managed to shoot an efficient 54.3 percent from the field. However, he struggled to get to the line (2.8 attempts per game) as well as make free throws at an efficient rate (64.4 percent). Atlanta's roster will likely look very different next season, and given the possible departure of Josh Smith, Horford, who has three years remaining on his $60 million deal, could be the face of the franchise in 2013-14.