The 2026 NBA playoffs are now underway, but for a former Philadelphia 76ers veteran, opportunities will most likely remain sparse. Buddy Hield, now with the Hawks, appears to be firmly outside Quin Snyder’s rotation at the moment, and it seems like postseason action will only make life more difficult for him in that regard.
Since getting booted out of Golden State at the trade deadline, Hield has seen his career slowly creep into the rock bottom. Atlanta does not seem interested in handing him any real minutes at all, and the only time he got considerable minutes was during their season finale, where he managed to get hot and drain seven threes en route to 31 markers in just 21 minutes.
Be that as it may, it appears like the Hawks are treating that final hurrah from Hield as a mere aberration. During their Game 1 matchup against the Knicks which culminated in a tight loss, the veteran sharpshooter never even left the bench. This is going to be the case for him moving forward, and 76ers fans know fully well why.
Former 76ers sharpshooter Buddy Hield still cannot get minutes in the playoffs
Last season, Hield was a bona fide asset on the hardwood for Golden State. He logged heavy minutes all throughout the playoffs, averaging more than 27 minutes per game. That was in stark contrast not only to his current status quo in Atlanta, but also the one he previously saw in Philadelphia. During the 2024 NBA playoffs, he averaged just under 13 minutes per outing for the 76ers.
The reason why he got so many minutes with the Warriors last season is that his previous team was equipped to handle his unerring weaknesses. The 76ers (and now, the Hawks), did not have the play style that makes it a tad more forgivable to trot him out. As such, his one-dimensional skill set is truly going to be tough to integrate within a playoff framework.
It also does not help that he has struggled with his three-point shot — his main and only calling card at this point in his career — all season long. Save for their season finale, he was truly abysmal from beyond the arc. He drained just 34.9 percent of his triples in the regular season, which was easily the worst mark in his tenure as a pro.
Moving forward, Buddy Hield will most likely continue to be a benchwarmer for Atlanta. Thankfully, the 76ers did not even dare to keep him, having already seen first-hand signs of how his career could age badly.
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