Buddy Hield has found a new home in the NBA after the Philadelphia 76ers traded him to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. According to ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Warriors are acquiring the 11-year veteran in a sign-and-trade deal that will guarantee Hield two years and $21 million.
ESPN Sources: Free agent Buddy Hield is joining Golden State on a sign-and-trade deal guaranteed for two years and $21 million. Hield gets $18M in first two years, a $3M partial guarantee in 3rd year and player option on non-guaranteed 4th year. Warriors send Sixers 2031 second…
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 4, 2024
The move comes off the heels of Klay Thompson's departure from the squad with which he won four NBA championships. Thompson signed with the Dallas Mavericks in free agency due to a reduced role within the Warriors' lineup.
The trade for Hield wasn't to ask the former Oklahoma star to match the five-time all-star's production, but rather for him to continue doing what has made him a mainstay in the league: outside shooting.
Shooting has been an elite skillset for "Buddy Buckets" and it has been an art that the Bahamian native has perfected since his days in a Sooners uniform. While Thompson may be regarded as one of the greatest catch-and-shoot slingers in the game's history, the Warriors shouldn't have to worry about much of a drop-off from their outside shooting. Hield has led the NBA with 1,322 3-point field goals made in the last five seasons. His new teammate, Stephen Curry, is right behind him with the second most made 3-pointers with 1,264 in that time frame.
Hield has averaged 15.5 points per game and shot the rock at an efficient clip, going 40 percent from deep in his career. Hield entered the NBA by coming off one of the best seasons in Oklahoma men's basketball history. In his senior season in Norman, Hield led Oklahoma to the Final Four and won the Wooden Award after posting 25.0 points per game and shot at an incredible rate (45.7 percent) from beyond the arc in 37 games played. Hield carried that momentum into the 2016-2017 season with the New Orleans Pelicans, where he won the Rookie of the Year.
Most recently, Hield finished the 2023-24 season with the 76ers after being dealt to Philly at the trade deadline by the Indiana Pacers. Hield played a league-best 84 games and averaged 12.1 points per game while shooting 38.6 percent from 3-point territory.
Hield will not only fit the Warriors' offensive philosophy of spacing the floor, but he'll undoubtedly serve as a mentor to the changing landscape of Golden State's personnel. While Curry may reaching the end of his hall-of-fame career, adding key veterans like Hield will go a long way to helping mold the Warriors' young core and could give him one final opportunity at making a deep postseason run in the league.