The Indiana Pacers were one of the most active teams in the league ahead of the NBA trade deadline this year. They made numerous deals, reshaping their roster along the way. But, they are a team that people will keep an eye on this offseason as they may not be done making moves.
Center Myles Turner is someone that is still going to garner interest as long as he can show that he is healthy. He had a robust market before it was revealed that he was dealing with a foot injury that ultimately cut his season short.
Another player that could have a bustling market this offseason is Buddy Hield. Hield was acquired from the Sacramento Kings, along with Tyrese Haliburton and Tristan Thompson, in the deal centered around Domantas Sabonis heading west.
There was some buzz that Hield could be flipped again ahead of the deadline, but he remained with the Indiana Pacers. His 3-point shooting is something that the Pacers could use, and according to Scott Agness on a recent appearance on the HoopsHype Podcast, may ultimately be what keeps him in Indiana.
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“Initially, I thought they were trading for Haliburton, and, as we saw this past offseason, there was a market for Buddy Hield. They could just repurpose him. However, I’ve gotten a little bit more blowback on that because we’ve seen what Buddy can provide for this team. They’ve desperately needed shooters.”
Buddy Hield has shot the ball much better with the Indiana Pacers than he was with the Kings, improving his 2-point shooting percentage to 54.6 percent, up from 41.9. While he is having the worst 3-point shooting season of his career, his 36.7 percent is still respectable, especially when you account for percentages being down across the league.
That scoring prowess is something that Indiana certainly loves having on the roster. Ultimately, it sounds like they would need to be blown away to accept an offer for Hield this offseason, according to Agness.
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“I don’t think Buddy’s a sure thing to be moved. I think if the Pacers got something significant and interesting to them, maybe a first-round pick, and a rotational player, that’s generally what the Pacers like. They don’t want just a straight draft pick. That’s not what Herb Simon, the team owner, likes.”
Given how many teams around the league are willing to pay for shooting, there is a team that might be willing to meet that price. Acquiring Hield this offseason could present a solid buy-low opportunity for a team, given his drop in 3-point shooting percentage.
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His contract is also an attractive one to teams because it de-escalates every season, so he gets cheaper the deeper into his contract he goes. With so few teams projected to have salary-cap space this summer, Buddy Hield’s contract makes him that much more attractive as a trade target.
