76ers Acquire Buddy Hield From Pacers at NBA Trade Deadline, per Report
The Philadelphia 76ers have added a sharpshooter to their roster hours before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. The Sixers acquired guard Buddy Hield from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for forward Marcus Morris, guard Furkan Korkmaz and three second-round picks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Hield, 31, provides the two-way threat with outside shooting and versatile defense that Sixers executive Daryl Morey was seeking for his lineup after trading James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this season. He also brings scoring that the team lost with the injury to Joel Embiid, who underwent surgery last week.
NBA Trade Deadline Tracker: Stay on top of latest moves
The eight-year veteran is shooting 38.4% on three-pointers this season (and is 40.1% from long range for his career) while averaging 12 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Those numbers are the lowest of Hield’s career but that coincides with the emergence of Tyrese Haliburton into a superstar-caliber player.
Buddy Hield has never been to the NBA playoffs in 600 career games over eight seasons.
Paul Rutherford / USA TODAY Sports
Hield could be a rental for Philadelphia, as he’ll be a free agent after the season. That could end up helping in the offseason, with his $19 million salary helping to create a projected $55 million in cap space.
On a personal level, going to the 76ers should take Hield where he’s never previously been in his NBA career. The guard has never been to the playoffs in his 600 career games with the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings, and nearly three seasons in Indiana.
Philadelphia is currently fifth in the Eastern Conference standings with a 30–20 record going into Thursday’s action. That’s just ahead of the Pacers, who rank sixth at 29–23.
