Report: Indiana Pacers start talks on a Buddy Hield trade after extension discussion breaks down

Hield has been with the Pacers since February of 2022

According to a report from Shams Charania in The Athletic, the Indiana Pacers are looking for a potential trade suitor for guard Buddy Hield after extension talks with the guard were unsuccessful.

Per Charania, the Pacers offered Hield a contract extension in recent weeks, but the deal "did not make the seven-year guard feel desired." Hield is eligible for an extension that is up to four years in length, and his deal could be renegotiated for this season since Indiana has some cap space left over.

Hield is open to being moved, per Charania, and multiple other organizations are anticipated to have interest. The 30-year old guard averaged 16.8 points per game last season and shot 42.5% from the three-point line. He set the Pacers franchise record for threes made in a season.

He started 73 times for the blue and gold last season, but he came off the bench for his final seven outings of the campaign. At that time, Indiana pivoted to having young guard Bennedict Mathurin in the starting five.

That could continue this year, and the signs have pointed to Mathurin and Bruce Brown starting on the wing with Hield coming off the bench for the Pacers. President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard alluded to a role change coming for Hield back in April when asked about an extension.

"So Buddy [Hield] specifically. He's under contract for another year. So we don't have to early extend. We could. I love Buddy. There's some things that he does that's not on the court. The way he keeps practice light. But I think we've got to define his role next year," Pritchard said. "And if we can get a role where he's comfortable and we're comfortable, then I'm not opposed to [an extension]. Now I'm not saying we're going to do it for sure, but I'm not opposed to it."

Charania's report mentions that Hield was offered an extension, but does not mention any years or dollar amounts. He adds that no move is imminent and the Pacers are not currently in significant trade talks with any other teams.

Using the rest of their cap space, Indiana could bump up Hield's salary to about $26 million this year before an extension, or they could raise his deal up to roughly that amount next season in the first year of a longer deal under the new CBA extension rules. That is an overpay for Hield given his total contributions, but those numbers show the parameters that the Pacers must work within when considering an extension.

Hield was traded to the blue and gold in 2022. He has played in 106 games for the franchise and has averages of 17.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. 

During his exit interview, Hield noted that he will spend time this summer working on his game, and some of that will take place in the gym at his house in Dallas. He also had an impressive stint playing for the Bahamas earlier in the offseason.

"I feel like we are in the right positive direction... I feel like that injury in January with [Tyrese Haliburton] set us back," Hield said of the team at his exit interview. He is close with Haliburton, the Pacers All-Star point guard. They were traded to Indiana together from the Sacramento Kings.

Training camp begins in less than two weeks for the Pacers, so they don't have long to determine their next steps with Hield. He is entering the final season of his contract and carries a cap hit of $19.2 million this season. He can make a different amount of money based on various incentives.

Hield recently changed his number from 24 to 7 and is about to enter his eighth year in the NBA. Indiana still has about $7.5 million in cap space to work with in a trade or signing, so they have flexibility to make moves. But Hield is valuable. They will have to consider all of their options. Mathurin, Brown, Aaron Nesmith, and Andrew Nembhard are all candidates to scoop up more wing minutes if Hield is dealt.

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