The Indiana Pacers and Buddy Hield are reportedly working on finding a trade, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Should the Suns pursue the guard?
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!After contract extension negotiations stalled out, Buddy Hield and the Indiana Pacers have started dialogue to work on finding a potential trade, league sources say.
Story at @TheAthletic: https://t.co/B7H26hxR26
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 20, 2023
The 30-year-old Hield averaged 16.8 points and five rebounds last season. He has developed into arguably a top-five 3-point shooter in the league and shot 42.5 percent from deep last season.
The Suns feature two of Hield’s teammates from the Bahamas’ National Team, Deandre Ayton and Eric Gordon. The trio helped the Bahamas win the Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament of the Americas last month.
Deandre Ayton ✅
Eric Gordon ✅
Buddy Hield ? https://t.co/wZXHTot6Cp pic.twitter.com/vtf3wVkFB8
— LEEZUS (@AndrewLeezus) September 20, 2023
Hield praised both Ayton and Gordon during the tournament.
“Basketball becomes easy, especially when you have the big fella,” Hield said.”His talent is unmatched. It’s something you can’t teach. It’s something every player wants to play with. He makes the game so easy for everybody.”
"Basketball becomes easy, especially when you have the big fella. His talent is unmatched. It's something you can't teach. It's something every player wants to play with. He makes the game so easy for everybody."
Buddy Hield on playing with Deandre Ayton for Team Bahamas. #Suns pic.twitter.com/XoP5Bqrvp3
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) August 15, 2023
"So happy for him to come out there. I know a lot of Bahamians say Eric, he's not always in the Bahamas, but he's in the Bahamas probably more than me."
Buddy Hield on Eric Gordon, who is US born, but his mom is Bahamian.
Gordon 27 pts in #Bahamas title game win. #Suns #Pacers pic.twitter.com/fGoRmRcxwk
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) August 21, 2023
It would be difficult for the Suns to compose a trade package for Hield, who is in the last year of his contract and set to make $19.2 million. The Suns would go way over the second-tax apron if they were to acquire him without giving up one of their four players who aren’t on veteran minimum contracts: Ayton, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant or Bradley Beal. Phoenix also has very little draft capital to trade away.
However, if the Suns did find a workaround to get Hield, he would be the perfect fifth starter to compliment Beal, Booker, Durant and Ayton. The Suns’ already dominant offense would have zero holes with Hield.
Eric Gordon Heroics and a New Deandre Ayton Give the Suns Something to Cheer About
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Brendan Mau is a Phoenix Suns insider and college sports reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
