Long been one of the most prolific three-point shooters in the league, former Philadelphia 76ers guard Buddy Hield has suddenly faced a tall roadblock in his career. Now, it seems like he is getting closer and closer to his eventual exit from the league given what he is currently facing right now with his new ball club.
After leaving the 76ers, Hield went on to sign with the Warriors. But after a productive year, Golden State traded him to the Hawks before the deadline as part of the deal involving Kristaps Porzingis and Jonathan Kuminga. Unfortunately for him, the pasture has not been greener for him in the Peach State.
Since landing with the Hawks, Hield has only sniffed the court for a grand sum of five minutes — all while racking up five DNPs as of writing. It is apparent that Atlanta does not view him as a rotation-caliber piece at this juncture, which raises some serious concerns about his staying power in the NBA.
Former 76ers guard Buddy Hield seems to be well on his way to leaving the NBA
Hield immensely struggled for the Warriors this season, which made the decision to trade him a rather easy one. He has averaged just eight points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 rebounds a night for the Dubs, and his 34.4 percent success rate from three-point territory is easily the worst mark in his 10-year career.
But with the Hawks already having a firm rotation in the backcourt, it is not surprising at all that Hield quickly fell out of favor in Atlanta. After all, they already have CJ McCollum to do the scoring and shooting in the second unit, and Hield’s play style presents a lot of overlaps with the veteran.
Likewise, with him having an off year from rainbow country, it makes it all the more difficult to justify handing him real minutes. When he is not hitting threes at a high volume, his value almost completely dissipates. He is not a playmaker. He is most definitely not a good defender as an undersized wing. He is a play-finishing spot-up shooter whose entire value depends on made shots.
The 76ers are all too familiar with Hield playing this bad, but even this version of him is something quite puzzling. Hopefully, he can still find a situation where he can thrive, but for now, there is no doubt that his career is hanging in the balance.