Michael Pointer

michael.pointer@indystar.com

Solomon Hill spent most of the season's second half and playoffs on the bench. On most nights, he didn't even dress.

Looking back, the Indiana Pacers' first-round pick in the 2013 draft wishes he would have been about two hours north in Fort Wayne, where he probably would have received substantial playing time for the Mad Ants, the Pacers' affiliate in the NBA Developmental League.

"I should have just stayed down there," Hill said. "I had to learn that nothing revolves around me. If I don't play, and the team got the win, that's fine. There's always a next game. If I could do things differently, I would have stayed down there and licked my wounds. I let myself down and let the Pacers down as well."

Hill now is playing for the Pacers summer league team for the second consecutive year. He's vowed he's learned from last season's experience.

"The D-League is there for you to get experience and (getting sent there) is an experience in its own," he said. "It's not just all about playing or what you're doing on the court. There's going to be real-life situations and you have to deal with that. I adapted the wrong way."

Statistically, Hill didn't play poorly in Fort Wayne. He averaged 17 points and 3.5 rebounds in two games in late December. Pacers coach Frank Vogel said at the time of Hill's return that, while it was important for Hill to get playing time, he didn't want him away from the parent NBA team for long.

Hill never had the reputation of being a pouter. Pacers officials cited his maturity after a four-year collegiate career at Arizona as one of the reasons they drafted him. Media reports from Fort Wayne were generally positive about his attitude. Hill didn't publicly voice any disappointment in his role at the time and noted he agreed to the move after Pacers officials asked him to consider it.

But he admitted this week he thought he should have been getting more playing time. He wasn't happy when he got just 26 minutes in his final game there, a 133-113 victory over Iowa on Jan. 1.

"I just had to go down with no expectations and fit in instead of being somebody different," he said.

Pacers assistant coach Dan Burke, who is coaching the summer league team, said Hill has shared similar sentiments with him and he wishes Hill would have spent more time in Fort Wayne. But Burke added he is seeing improvement in his play with the summer team this week.

"It's part of your growth when you come into the league," Burke said. "You're top dog at your university. You come in here, you're the 13th or 14th player on the team. You get sent down to the D-League. Maybe there's some embarrassment."

Opportunity may be knocking for Hill, too. No one is suggesting he's going to challenge All-Star forward Paul George for playing time. But with Lance Stephenson exploring the market as an unrestricted free agent and the uncertain return of some backup wing players such as Rasual Butler, he may have a chance to move up the depth chart and be more of a contributor.

"I would like to see him be a Doberman on defense," Burke said when asked what he wants to see from Hill during summer league play in Orlando beginning Saturday.

"In a lot of these summer leagues, guys think, 'This is my chance,' and they shoot every time they touch it. We don't want him to do that. We want him to be a leader and when you come (off screens), take good shots out of this system. Defend, run and get easy baskets."

Hill said he will do what it takes after last season's experience. For instance, he's staying off social media more and getting better sleep recently, he said. He's also working with a shooting coach. His rookie season taught him the importance of staying sharp even when you're getting limited playing time, he said.

"Just always be ready," he said. "You never know what can happen. (Chris Copeland) probably didn't see the minutes he thought he would, but when he was in, he was always ready. Same with Rasual. He understood what can happen when someone goes down."

Call Star reporter Michael Pointer at (317) 444-2709. Follow him on Twitter @michaelpointer.