It is official. After Buddy Hield has been linked to the Philadelphia 76ers for the past few seasons, Daryl Morey has finally offered a package that has convinced Indiana Pacers GM Chad Buchanan. The price was not low, as the Sixers had to send Marcus Morris, Furkan Korkmaz, and three second-round draft picks to secure the winger's services. But the truth is that this move could offer the team a breath of fresh air in many ways.
Hield is in the final year of the decreasing contract extension he signed before the 2020-2021 season, valued at $94 million. His contract is worth $18 million this season, which will go into the salary cap on July 1st. If he performs well, the Sixers should have no problem resigning him, and the team's salary structure remains intact after this move.
Beyond the arrival of a point guard who a priori is an upgrade over De'Anthony Melton, who is also having a lot of problems with injuries this season, the now former Indiana Pacers player offers a completely different profile than the defensive guard. But... what can Buddy Hield offer to the Sixers during one of the worst moments of the franchise in recent years?
1. Hield is a player who perfectly represents the "sharpshooter" concept.
Currently 22nd on the list of top three-point shooters in league history in just 7 career seasons, Buddy Hield is one of the best high-volume sharpshooters in the entire NBA. This season with the Pacers he has had a dip in prominence within the overachieving franchise but is currently the seventh-highest three-point shooter in the league per 36 minutes (9.6). In addition, his career average is just over 40%.
The Sixers are, as of Jan. 1, the team that has attempted the fewest three-pointers per game in the entire NBA at 29.4 per game. To make matters worse, they are the 28th team in shooting percentage at 33.6% from long range. This period represents exactly the time when the team began to face injury problems that have led to one of the worst losing streaks in recent seasons.
Hield has a quick trigger, doesn't need a lot of space to shoot, and also generates a lot of gravity with his presence that other players can take advantage of. A necessary role in the modern NBA that also covers an urgency for Philadelphia, and that will come in handy in case Joel Embiid can get healthy for the final stretches of the season.