2 Former 76ers Pop Up on Notable NBA Stat Leaderboard

A couple of former Sixers are thriving with their quick three-point shooting.

Nov 2, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield (7) warms up prior to the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images / Erik Williams-Imagn Images

After trading for Buddy Hield at the 2024 NBA trade deadline, the Philadelphia 76ers entered their offseason, questioning whether or not he was worth bringing back for the price he was going to demand.

There was a lot of doubt surrounding Hield’s future in Philadelphia. By July, the Sixers struck a sign-and-trade to send Hield to the Golden State Warriors.

Hield left the Sixers after appearing in 31 regular season games and a handful of postseason matchups. He averaged 12 points on 39 percent shooting from three. There were flashes for Hield in Philadelphia, but the Sixers prioritized other players when free agency opened.

So far, Hield’s run with the Golden State Warriors has been a tough pill to swallow for the 76ers. Through 12 games, Hield is a way-too-early Sixth Man of the Year Candidate. He’s been knocking down threes at a 47 percent clip, and he’s producing 18 points per game.

Buddy Hield might play his way to the All-Star Game if he keeps connecting on 50 percent of his threes pic.twitter.com/XKLDUDnKOx

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 7, 2024

Hield’s not only shooting efficiently from beyond the arc but he’s been one of the most successful quick shooters from deep.

Todd Whitehead recently listed the NBA’s Top 8 players with threes that were released in under half a second. Hield ties with Boston Celtics veteran Sam Hauser with 12 so far.

Most catch-and-shoot threes made with a release time of less than 0.5 seconds ⏱️ pic.twitter.com/ghUqYagFLD

— Todd Whitehead (@CrumpledJumper) November 16, 2024

The Warriors sharpshooter isn’t the only former Sixer to pop up on the list. Tied with Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet is the Los Angeles Clippers veteran Nic Batum.

Before the Sixers acquired Hield last year, Batum was a trade acquisition in the package that sent James Harden and PJ Tucker to the Western Conference.

The Sixers didn’t have a season-long vision for everybody in the deal, but Batum was certainly an exception. He appeared in 57 games for the Sixers, picking up 38 starts. Batum hit 40 percent of his threes on three attempts per game.

Unlike the Hield situation, the Sixers showed plenty of interest in bringing back Batum this past offseason. The seasoned vet opted for a return to the Clippers. So far, he’s come off the bench for 13 games. While he hasn’t been as efficient as the past season, Batum’s quick release has still been on display.

The Sixers haven't been able to hit their stride just yet this season. Over time, they hope to improve in all areas, including three-point shooting, where they currently rank 12th.