Buddy Hield’s stint with the Indiana Pacers may be coming to an end, and both the Dallas Mavericks and this particular trade proposal may work out well for both parties.
Even though there hasn’t been much activity on the NBA trade front in the past few months, before the new season starts in a little over a month, things might change significantly. Important role players may also be traded, in addition to the major trade issues involving star players like James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers and Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers that need to be resolved.
The Indiana Pacers and veteran shooter Buddy Hield have reportedly “begun talks” to find a trade for the player after negotiations over a contract extension failed, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
“After contract extension negotiations stalled out, Buddy Hield and the Indiana Pacers have started a dialogue to work on finding a potential trade with another team, league sources say,” Charania relates.”Rebel team sources claim that Holden is open to a move elsewhere, but no agreement is close to completion and no meaningful negotiations are underway with any other team at this time. In recent weeks, the Pacers did extend an offer to Hield, but league insiders claim that the seven-year guard did not feel appreciated by their offer.
Wouldn’t a straight-up deal including both of them make some sense for both teams, given that 1) the Dallas Mavericks had previously been linked to Hield in trade rumors, and 2) Dallas’ Tim Hardaway Jr. has also been mentioned in trade speculations a few times over the last two seasons?
Hield, who shot 42.5 percent from beyond the arc and 45.8 percent from the field in 80 games for the Pacers last season, is a better player than Hardaway, averaging 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. For the past five years, he has made the most 3-pointers in the league. But he also has a $19.3 million contract that is about to expire. Indiana would run the danger of losing Hield in free agency the following summer if it is unable to sign him to a contract extension.
Although Hardaway’s output and effectiveness aren’t quite as remarkable as Hield’s, they might still be enough to qualify him for a little lengthier contract as a substitute. Hardaway averaged 14.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 71 games for the Mavs the previous season. He also shot 38.5 percent from beyond the arc and 40.1 percent from the field. His declining contract pays him $17.9 million this season and $16.2 million the following, with two years left.
The Pacers could have demanded more for Hield on the trade market if his contract hadn’t expired, but as we’ve repeatedly seen, the possibility of losing a player for nothing can occasionally force a team to accept a trade package that the public didn’t think was a good deal.
Although the Mavs’ perimeter defense would suffer if they started Hield instead of Hardaway, they would have a more consistent, less inconsistent shooter to complement Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. Even with the addition of Dereck Lively II and Richaun Holmes this summer, some continue to question whether the Mavs should pursue a seasoned starting center after finishing last in the league in terms of rebounds last season.
