Former Philadelphia 76ers guard Buddy Hield has seen his stock drastically decline this season thanks to his subpar player. That culminated in him getting traded by the Warriors before the deadline, casting a robust shadow on his future in the league. But fortunately for him, it seems like he has just been given another chance to stay in the NBA.
Golden State sent him to Atlanta as part of the deal centered on Jonathan Kuminga and Kristaps Porzingis. While many initially did not think much about Hield’s possible role with the Hawks, the veteran sharpshooter should have an opportunity to prove his mettle given the latest developments surrounding his new ball club.
The Hawks shipped Vit Krejci and Luke Kennard before the trade deadline, which effectively rids them of their two best pure shooters on the roster. That leaves a huge void for Hield to fill, and to his benefit, that might just be the role that he needs to regain his mojo this season and salvage what was looking like his possible last hurrah in the NBA.
Former 76ers guard Buddy Hield gets a new leash in life
Atlanta is definitely pushing for a playoff spot this season. After all, the Hawks are not incentivized to bottom out and turn in a lottery finish given that the Spurs own their first-round pick for this year. As a result, they are going to be in win-now mode for the rest of the season.
Hield has had his worst season yet as a professional so far this season. He has converted on just 34.4 percent of his three-point tries, which ranks as the lowest in his career. However, a change of scenery could be enough for the worm to turn for him in that regard.
At this point in his career, he is probably a one-trick pony (just like when he was with the 76ers), but Atlanta’s roster makeup will not require him to go beyond his billing. The Hawks already have some very capable ball handlers, so his primary duty will be to move without the ball and drain open shoots while putting constant pressure on opposing defenses.
Hield did not exactly give 76ers fans a lot of fond memories — and that is probably a generous assessment. But having said that, it would be nice for him to regain his mojo and remind everyone just how lethal he can be as one of the more underappreciated three-point shooters of all time.