Charlotte Hornets Acquire Buddy Hield in Trade With Hawks Just Before Training Camp

Just a week before training camp starts for the NBA, and the Charlotte Hornets have not finished making moves just yet.

On Sunday, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Hornets and Atlanta Hawks were in discussions surrounding Atlanta's Buddy Hield, and Charlotte's Dorian Finney-Smith.

Fischer reported Tuesday afternoon that trade talks had picked up, and less than 10 minutes later the deal was completed: the Hornets would be acquiring Buddy Hield and Ryan Nembhard from the Hawks in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith.

Finney-Smith was a recent trade addition for the Hornets, where they acquired the wing and three second-round picks from the Houston Rockets in exchange for cash. Finney-Smith's contract made him a difficult cut candidate, but there seemingly was never a spot for him on the Hornets roster.

In Hield, the Hornets are acquiring one of the best three-point marksmen ever, where he ranks 15th all time in made three-pointers. His 2025-26 season was the worst of his career by nearly every metric, where he averaged a career-low in points, three-point percentage, assists, and rebounds.

He still has two years remaining on his deal, but has a player option at the end of the 2026-27 deal. This upcoming season, the 33 year old will be slated to make $9.7 million guaranteed, making him the ninth highest paid player on the Hornets roster.

As for Ryan Nembhard, this is now the second time the 23 year old has been dealt this offseason. He spent his rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks, where he started 27 out of 60 games and averaged 6.6 points, 5.3 assists, and had a 49% true shooting percentage.

Nembhard's role in this deal seems clear, where he will most likely not make the Hornets final roster. As training camp comes around, Charlotte will need to look to make roster decisions, and Nembhard's cap hit of $2.2 million is something they can afford to take on.

Trade Grade: B-

At the end of the day, the deal did not move the needle at all for either team. Hield is an expiring that Charlotte could look to move at the deadline, and as a marksman could be an excellent mentor for Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley, and Christian Anderson.

Ryan Nembhard will likely not make the Hornets' final roster, making his inclusion in the trade more about facilitating the deal than adding a long-term piece. The Hornets can afford to take on his contract, while potentially creating another roster spot as they finalize their team ahead of the regular season.

This trade does not fundamentally change the Hornets' outlook for the upcoming season, but it gives them a proven shooter and a potential trade asset without surrendering a significant long-term piece. Finney-Smith was not likely to have a role on Charlotte's roster, and they managed to turn that situation into a veteran who could provide value to their young core.

The Hornets may not have made a major move, but Hield's shooting, experience, and potential trade value make this a reasonable deal for Charlotte.

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