Why the 76ers should trade for Buddy Hield with this offer
Despite some perceived one-tricked poniness, Buddy Hield absolutely excels at the one thing he’s known for — three-point shooting. Since 2017, only Stephen Curry has drained more shots from downtown, with Hield trumping even the likes of James Harden, Damian Lillard, and Paul George. Again, offense isn’t particularly a weak point of the 76ers, but more offensive firepower and variance will be pretty welcome for a team exploited for not having such in its last playoff run.
Another area where Philly can count on Hield is availability, which has perhaps become one of the most valuable assets today where load management has become so prevalent that the league has now stepped in to abate it. In his seven-year career, Hield has only missed five games in sum, with two of those coming last season due to rest. For reference, James Harden missed 24 games last season alone.
Now, aside from the clear as crystal merits of landing Hield, the 76ers also stand to benefit from the outgoing assets in this deal. PJ Tucker may still have enough in the tank to remain a vital cog, but is still owed two more years in his contract and has evidently declined, even from the eye test. Furthermore, his absence could open up more opportunities for Paul Reed, whom Nick Nurse has taken a particular liking to, and Kelly Oubre Jr., the team’s newest signing who is a more impactful floor-raiser at the least.
Korkmaz and House Jr., who could very well already have one foot out of the door respectively following Oubre’s addition, are end-of-the-bench guys whose absence will not make the team flinch.