Grade the Trade: Buddy Hield mock deal sees Pacers lose 23-year-old

Grade the Trade: Buddy Hield mock deal sees Indiana Pacers also trade Andrew Nembhard to Milwaukee Bucks: Pacers grade

On the flip side, this deal doesn’t seem too appealing for the Indiana Pacers. They are trying to trade Buddy Hield, but also giving up Andrew Nembhard would be a huge blow.

Hield seemingly doesn’t have a future in Indiana, as the two sides couldn’t agree on a contract extension, and he will have a chance to leave in free agency next summer.

Getting a first-round pick in return for Hield would be a huge win, but if the cost of that deal is giving up Nembhard, then it wouldn’t be worth it.

Nembhard was a key contributor for the Pacers last season. Not only did he appear in 75 games, but he started 63 of them and could end up being a starter once Hield is traded.

Grayson Allen could be a solid shooting replacement for Hield, and Pat Connaughton is a nice role player, but neither have as much upside as Nembhard moving forward.

Again, getting a first-round pick makes this deal at least a bit intriguing, but even Dalton Sell, the author, admitted that this trade was the least likely of the ones he proposed.

At just 23 years old, Nembhard has plenty of room to grow as a player, and hit fit next to Tyrese Haliburton and the rest of Indiana’s core is too good to give up on in a deal like this.

Grade: D