The Indiana Pacers dumped Buddy Hield last year and were eager to move on from him. However, the Golden State Warriors are rumored to have no interest in moving Hield in a Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade this offseason (h/t Jake Fischer of the Stein Line). Given the drastic difference in how each team values the Bahamas native, Pacers fans may find this a bit hysterical.
Hield was a good player during his time in Indiana. He was a legitimate sharpshooter and added a special dynamic to their offense. However, the Pacers had a bit of a logjam at the time, and they were not likely to agree to a new deal.
Though they did not get too much in return for the Oklahoma alum, the Pacers still benefited greatly from trading him. In his absence, players like Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, and Bennedict Mathurin took on bigger roles and ultimately became key players in their latest NBA Finals run. While his situation in Golden State is different, it is funny that they are unwilling to trade Hield despite how much success the Pacers had from doing so.
The Warriors are seemingly enjoying the Buddy Hield experience
No matter how good Hield can be at times, there is one major flaw to his game that everybody knows about: he is incredibly streaky.
At times, Hield will look unstoppable on the offensive side of the ball and will catch fire in an instant. This was especially noticeable during his early tenure in Golden State, where he looked like the clear-cut favorite to win the Sixth Man of the Year award (he ended up not receiving any votes for the award). However, he will also go through numerous stretches where he is shooting his way off the court and looks close to unplayable. This has caused many teams to trade him to this point in his NBA career, but the Warriors seem to be an exception.
The Warriors have aspirations for a deep playoff run next season. They will have Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler all together for their first full season, and they will aim to reach the top one more time. Additionally, there is still a general belief they will land free agent Al Horford, who also has championship experience.
As Golden State looks to return to the NBA Finals, it seems like they will continue to value Hield very highly. So much so that they would not even consider trading him to get something back for Kuminga, who is still a restricted free agent. This is a very interesting development, and it is one that Pacers fans are absolutely laughing at.