Indiana Pacers’ star Buddy Hield seems to be taking his talents elsewhere. With that news, a lot of teams are now highly interested in the 30-year-old’s production. But, which team should Buddy Hield go to next if the Indiana Pacers decide to send him away?
NBA insider Shams Charania revealed that Indiana reportedly offered Hield an extension after his 4-year/$94 Million contract that would expire after the 2023-2024 NBA season. However, it was also reported the Bahamian star was not impressed by the amount offered. Because of that, both sides agreed to enter trade talks with other teams. Here are just some potential destinations for Buddy Hield next season.
After contract extension negotiations stalled out, Buddy Hield and the Indiana Pacers have started dialogue to work on finding a potential trade, league sources say.
Story at @TheAthletic: https://t.co/B7H26hxR26
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 20, 2023
Buddy Hield as a Pacer:
17.1 PPG
5.0 RPG
3.5 3PM
41.0 3P%The only player in the NBA with 1,000+ 3-pointers in the 2020s. pic.twitter.com/RUxgyAO5xC
— StatMuse (@statmuse) September 20, 2023
Los Angeles Lakers
Can Rob Pelinka pull off what he should have done last year? In 2022, the Lakers were heavily targeting two Indiana Pacers stars – Buddy Hield and Myles Turner – to replace Russell Westbrook. For many years now, it’s evident that Los Angeles really wants Buddy Hield’s shooting prowess.
With the Pacers entering trade talks for Hield, Pelinka and the Lakers front office could make their next move to secure the sharpshooter from the Bahamas once and for all. Moreover, LeBron James would surely have fun playing with an extremely efficient three-point shooter. So far, the purple and gold have made amazing offseason moves but it’s not over yet.
Miami Heat
Even at this point, the Miami Heat is still Damian Lillard’s preferred destination. Aside from Dame, Miami also tried luring Bradley Beal into joining Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. With Max Strus and Gabe Vincent out of Miami’s roster, there’s room for another star shooting guard to make heavy damage on the three-point line.
Even with a team full of undrafted players, the Miami Heat was still able to reach the NBA Finals. Just imagine adding Lillard and Hield to their backcourt. However, this move would mean they have to let go of some important pieces like Duncan Robinson, Kyle Lowry, Nikola Jovic, Caleb Martin, and/or even Tyler Herro.
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics came up short in last season’s playoffs despite having two All-NBA superstars. Led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the C’s should have been champions again by now. Unfortunately, “Himmy” Butler happened.
After giving up Marcus Smart for Kristaps Porzingis, the Boston Celtics could definitely use another off-ball shooter just like Buddy Hield. A 17-ppg scorer who shoots an outstanding 41% from behind the arc is just what Boston would love to have. Also, it seems that Malcolm Brogdon is frustrated with his role in Boston right now. If these two Eastern conference teams decide to have a trade, it may be a Brogdon for Hield ship.
Dallas Mavericks
After a disappointing 2022-2023 season, the Dallas Mavericks definitely have to add more pieces around Luka Doncic. Although they’ve also done well in the offseason by extending Kyrie Irving and adding reliable players like Seth Curry, Dante Exum, Derrick Jones Jr., and Grant Williams, there is still room for improvement in Dallas.
Right now, the best-case scenario would be a straight-up swap between Tim Hardaway Jr. (Mavericks) and Buddy Hield (Pacers). Although Hardaway Jr. isn’t as productive and efficient as Hield, it still feels like a good deal for both teams. Indiana receives a nice replacement who can still get 14-15 points a game and even sign him for less money. On the other hand, the Mavericks finally get their desired additional star to help remove some burden from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
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