George Hill has quickly become a productive member of the Pacers and both sides have interest in signing an extension before the Jan. 25th deadline.

"I would definitely say that's the type of vibe that's coming from both sides," Whitaker said Thursday when asked if there was a serious push for a deal. "Hopefully something will get done. If not, then the thing is he'll still be a restricted free agent this summer.

"We talked about [both three- and four-year deals]. We talked about different options, so we don't know what the final conclusion is going to be. I just think it's good that the talks are going on. He's only played 12 games with the Pacers, so the fact that they're showing this kind of commitment to get something done is definitely promising."