Indiana Pacers react to Buddy Hield being traded to Philadelphia 76ers
The Indiana Pacers sent Buddy Hield to the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday in advance of the NBA trade deadline. With his contract set to expire at the end of the season and several complicating factors at play, it was the right choice for the Pacers franchise.
While it might make the blue and gold worse in the short-term, they were thinking about the future with the move. "Buddy is a player that contributes valuably to us on the court, in the locker room. But we're also in a situation where we've got to make some tough decisions. Building this team requires some tough decisions, and today was one of them," Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said of the transaction.
Buchanan did later say that the team is still trying to maximize this season. With that in mind, they were able to grab sharpshooting wing Doug McDermott from the San Antonio Spurs on deadline day, and he will be able to fill some of the void left by Hield.
But not all of it, which is why the Pacers netted two second-round draft picks in total from that swap. Hield is a talented player. Still, the Pacers made the most of their situation with their former shooting guard and opted to move on.
"It's just one of those unfortunate parts of the business... we're going to miss him over here," Pacers veteran guard T.J. McConnell told AllPacers of Hield being moved. McConnell used to play for the 76ers, but he said that Hield didn't ask him for any restaurant recommendations in the city.
Most of the Pacers roster is excited about the addition of McDermott. McConnell, as well as Myles Turner, have played with him before, and the veteran wing has prior experience with the Pacers. He also spent half a season on a roster guided by head coach Rick Carlisle, who will be his coach once again.
Tyrese Haliburton said he thinks McDermott can be an elite shooter, which will allow him to fit in seamlessly. They've met before through McConnell. In his first game with the Pacers, McDermott played for just over seven minutes but didn't put up any stats.
Haliburton was close with Hield, though, so he was bummed to lose a friend on the roster even though he understood the situation. "It hurts not to play with Buddy anymore," Haliburton said before wishing his former teammate the best. The Pacers All-Star guard noted that Hield is still one of his best friends and that they had a one-on-one conversation after the trade, one which Haliburton described as real.
"We knew this could happen eventually. We probably weren't going to play together our whole careers," Haliburton shared. Prior to the trade, he had only played in one game during his entire career in which Hield didn't suit up. They were teammates together in Sacramento with the Kings, where Haliburton was drafted, and they were traded to Indiana together in 2022.
The star point guard shared that Hield is excited about being in Philly. His relationship with the veteran guard made many naturally curious if Haliburton knew of the trade and was okay with it. "I'm aware before the public is aware. It's the NBA at the end of the day, and I'm here long term," Haliburton said of the deal. He explained that his, and everyone's, input with the front office matters somewhat when it comes to transactions.
Still, it's strange for him not to be playing alongside his long-time backcourt partner. "It's just weird. I don't think I've ever suited up for an NBA game without Buddy. Real talk. I don't think I've ever played one without him. It was definitely weird," he said Thursday night. "It's going to be weird moving forward a little bit. But that's part of the ebbs and flows of the NBA. Excited for him to have the opportunity. Yeah, I'm going to miss him, but I'm sure we'll go to the Bahamas together after the season. We'll still talk every day."
So far, Hield has played in two games with the 76ers. He's averaging 21.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game. Philadelphia is 1-1 with the 31-year old guard in the lineup.
Hield was a great shooter for the blue and gold, but his role was shrinking before he was dealt. Still, he was an impactful piece for the team, and he almost always was upbeat with a good attitude. His teammates enjoyed being around him.
"People just think about on the court, people don't think about chemistry and energy and what he brings to our locker room, to our team. You guys are around him, we're around him all the time. His energy is infectious," Pacers center Myles Turner, who has been with the franchise since 2015, said of Hield. "It's something that we'll definitely be missing. We'll have to find a way to make it up somehow, some way. It doesn't start with just one person, it's a group effort. He'll definitely be missed. He's probably going to go down as one of the best shooters in history. All the best in Philly."
Hield spent parts of three seasons with the Pacers, where he averaged 15.4 points per game in 158 appearances. He shot over 40% from three-point range in that stretch.
Indiana had to make a decision on Hield's future on Thursday, and they opted to move him. It might be a small hurdle to overcome now, but the Pacers are confident it will be the right move going forward.
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