Lately, the Indiana Pacers have been looking to retool, and the first step they took toward that goal was to trade center Domantas Sabonis, plus Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb to the Sacramento Kings for guards Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield, as well as veteran big man Tristan Thompson during the 2021-22 NBA season.
While the Pacers subsequently waived Thompson, Haliburton panned out very well, averaging 20.7 points, 10.4 assists and 1.6 steals a game while making his first All-Star team last season. He is now considered perhaps their biggest building block moving forward.
Hield has also been considered a major building block. He put up 16.8 points while hitting 42.5 percent of his 8.5 3-point attempts a game last year, and at age 30, he should have at least a few years of high-level play left in his 6-foot-4, 220-pound body.
But Indiana couldn’t come to terms with him on a contract extension, and on Wednesday, it reportedly decided to look to trade him.
If the Pacers are patient enough, they could end up getting a decent haul for him. At the same time, Hield is a player who could help a number of teams get to the next level.
Here are three hypothetical trade proposals they should seriously consider.
Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: G Buddy Hield
Indiana Pacers Receive: G/F Grayson Allen, G/F Pat Connaughton, Future First-Round Pick (via MIL)
The Milwaukee Bucks are not only seething from being unceremoniously dumped in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, but now there’s a chance they will lose their franchise player soon.
Giannis Antetokounmpo recently told Tania Ganguli of the New York Times that he will not sign a contract extension with them unless he feels they can continue contending for championships in the years to come. That means they need to start looking for ways to bring in some younger key players in order to give the Greek Freak more support for the future while also showing him they’re serious about winning.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Buddy Hield, Indiana Pacers & Milwaukee Bucks Updates
Milwaukee won the world title in 2021, but Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, three of their most important players not named Antetokounmpo, are getting up there in age. While Hield isn’t extremely young, he is significantly younger than Lopez and Holiday, and his game should age well if he stays healthy.
In the meantime, he would give them a major offensive boost while making defenses pay dearly for keying on Antetokounmpo. He could also make Milwaukee a stronger favorite to win it all this coming season. If it were to win it all this coming season with Hield, perhaps Antetokounmpo would have to think twice about turning down an extension.
For Indiana, Allen has an expiring contract, while Connaughton has a player option for the 2025-26 season. Until then, the latter has the ability to help the team if he gets back to the type of accurate 3-point shooting he possessed prior to last season. In addition, a first-round pick toward the end of the decade could end up yielding a very good player for it.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: G Buddy Hield
Indiana Pacers Receive: F Davis Bertans, G Isaiah Joe, Future First-Round Pick (via OKC)
The young Oklahoma City Thunder were unexpectedly competitive last season, as they reached the play-in tournament and defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 123-118 before getting blown out by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second game. If they want to take the next step and make the playoffs, why not go after Hield?
The sharpshooter would be a big help for a team that was just 17th in 3-point shooting percentage last year. At the same time, he would give them some veteran leadership, not to mention an outlet for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and someone who could space the floor for rookie big man Chet Holmgren.
In this hypothetical trade, the Pacers would receive Bertans, a 6-foot-10 power forward who could help address one of their biggest positional weaknesses. He has two years left on his contract, but the “Latvian Laser” could help right away with his sniper-like 3-point shooting.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Buddy Hield, Indiana Pacers & Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
Meanwhile, Joe is a 24-year-old 6-foot-4 guard who can hit from the outside. He has a team option for the 2024-25 season if the Pacers feel he didn’t quite work out. Perhaps the Thunder will be a very good team when the first-round pick they include is ready to be used, but then again, no one can say with any certainty.
New York Knicks
New York Knicks Receive: G Buddy Hield
Indiana Pacers Receive: G/F Evan Fournier, Two Future First-Round Picks (via NYK)
The New York Knicks had an unexpectedly strong 2022-23 campaign, finishing fifth in the Eastern Conference and winning their first playoff series in 10 years. But now the challenge for them is to scale greater heights.
They were just 19th in 3-point shooting accuracy, and Hield would greatly help in that department while giving them another scoring threat.
Fournier fell out of favor last season with Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau. He may find it somewhat hard to get playing time in Indiana since he’d have to beat out young studs such as Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard, but his reputation as a fine 3-point shooter could come in handy.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Buddy Hield, Indiana Pacers & New York Knicks Updates
If Fournier doesn’t pan out, Indiana could simply take the cap relief. He has a player option for the 2024-25 season, and in that case, it could let him go while hoping the picks it receives from the Knicks end up being closer to the top of the draft than the bottom of the first round.
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