Sixers Guard Buddy Hield Dealt to Golden State Warriors Via Sign-and-Trade

What's next for Buddy Hield?
Mar 29, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Buddy Hield (17) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) during the first half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 29, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Buddy Hield (17) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) during the first half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
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Since entering the NBA as the sixth-overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft out of Oklahoma, Hield was quickly recognized as one of the league’s most prolific high-volume three-point shooters.

Over the course of several seasons, Hield was frequently linked to the 76ers as a potential trade candidate. The sharpshooter’s first move in the NBA came in the middle of his rookie season. After 57 games with the New Orleans Pelicans, Hield was moved to the Sacramento Kings.

He would spend four full seasons with the Kings. In his sixth season, Hield was moved to the Indiana Pacers. The run with the Pacers spanned nearly three seasons. Heading into the 2023-2024 NBA season, Hield was viewed as a potential trade candidate as the Pacers failed to lock him in with an extension.

After 52 games with the Pacers last year, Hield found himself traded to the Sixers. When Daryl Morey and the front office struck the deal with Indiana, the Sixers were under the impression that they landed the best player on the trade market.

Unfortunately, Hield’s run with the Sixers down the stretch of the 2023-2024 season didn’t go as planned. In 32 games, Hield averaged 12 points on 39 percent shooting. The Sixers gave him an opportunity to compete in the postseason for the first time in his career.

In a series where the Sixers faced the Knicks for six games, Hield was a healthy scratch in two of those games. While he was nearly a Game 6 hero, Hield’s overall performance in his postseason debut was underwhelming. He averaged under six points, and spent roughly 12 minutes on the court per game.

Heading into free agency, Hield made it known that he would like to continue building with the 76ers. While the Sixers understood his short stint didn’t go as planned, a reunion with the veteran sharpshooter wasn’t ruled out.

After numerous reports linking him to the Golden State Warriors, a deal has officially been finalized. Hield is heading back to the Western Conference on a two-year, $21 million deal. In return for the sharpshooting guard, the Warriors are sending the Sixers a 2031 second-round pick.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA

Kevin McCormick
KEVIN MCCORMICK

Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers FanNation's All76ers. Since graduating from Holy Family University with a degree in Sports Management, he's gone on to pursue a career in journalism covering the NBA. Some of his previous bylines include 97.3 ESPN, ClutchPoints, and Sportskeeda.