An NBA player doesn’t always have an obvious contract value. There can be room for debate over a player’s pay. At times, a team and a player wind up having that debate. Typically, that means that a player is going to get traded.
Such is the case with Buddy Hield and the Indiana Pacers. Hield is on an expiring contract. By all accounts, the Pacers aren’t looking to extend him next summer. With that in mind, they basically have to trade him. Otherwise, he’s going to walk as a free agent and leave the Pacers empty-handed.
The Pacers will find a market. Hield is one of the best shooters in the NBA. Any contending team could use him. Could the Dallas Mavericks be the team to acquire him?
The Trade Proposal
Indiana Pacers Receive: G/F Tim Hardaway Jr., 2027 First-Round Pick (Lottery Protected – DAL)
Dallas Mavericks Receive: G/F Buddy Hield
Hield will find a market. It may be not as robust as the Pacers would hope. As talented as he is, there are reasons why teams would hesitate to acquire him. For starters, Hield is on an expiring contract. That makes him a flight risk. Teams will be weary of surrendering too many assets for a one-year rental.
Moreover, it’s worth questioning why Hield and the Pacers can’t agree on an extension. This is one of the best shooters in the NBA. The Pacers don’t seem like a team that intends on tanking. Shouldn’t they want to keep him? Unless Hield is expecting too much money, that is.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Buddy Hield, Indiana Pacers & Dallas Mavericks Updates
Once again – an NBA player doesn’t always have an obvious contract value. Hield is one of the best shooters in the NBA. He’s also fairly one-dimensional. Should the Mavericks give up a lottery protected first just to acquire him for a year?
Why The Dallas Mavericks Do The Deal
Absolutely. Dallas should be operating within a one-year window. This team has Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on their roster. That automatically gives them a chance of winning an NBA title. With that in mind, they shouldn’t be sparing expenses in pursuit of building an NBA champion.
Here, they’re making a straight upgrade. Hield and Hardaway Jr. are similar players. They’re both elite shooters who offer little else on the floor. Hield is simply better. He’s a far more consistent shooter. Moreover, Hield is extremely durable – his next significant injury would be his first one. This would be a significant addition to the Mavericks.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Buddy Hield, Indiana Pacers & Dallas Mavericks Updates
Best of all, the Mavericks are getting him at a discount. In a vacuum, Hield should go for more than a lottery protected first. The extenuating factors we’ve already discussed are hurting his value. Should the Pacers accept this return for him?
Why The Indiana Pacers Do The Deal
If the Pacers don’t like this return, they won’t like any return that they’ll realistically get for Hield. At the risk of beating a dead horse, he’s a one-dimensional flight risk who seems to be expecting a lucrative extension.
With that in mind, this is a good return. The addition of Hardaway Jr. allows the Pacers to effectively run the same sets that they’ve been running. Sure, he’s not as efficient or consistent from long-range, but he’s functionally similar. If the Pacers don’t want to tank, adding Hardaway Jr. makes sense.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Buddy Hield, Indiana Pacers & Dallas Mavericks Updates
Meanwhile, so does acquiring a lottery protected first. The Pacers could end up moving this pick before it either conveys or doesnt. Even if they lose the pick to a suddenly lottery-bound Mavericks team, they weren’t going to retain Hield anyway. It seems like they just can’t agree on his contract value.
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