NBA Trade Market: While Buddy Hield is on the Market, Thunder Should Target A Different Indiana Pacer
As NBA training camp quickly approaches, teams are still making final roster decisions. Some of these decisions will include more significant roster changes, which can happen via trade.
One of the top players known to be available on the trade market is Buddy Hield of the Indiana Pacers. While he’s one of the league’s best shooters, any team that trades for him would have to take on his $18.6 million contract and then need to extend him before he becomes a free agent next summer and can walk for nothing. That could be a hurdle for several franchises that could use Hield’s services.
For the Oklahoma City Thunder specifically, the Pacers’ sharpshooter would certainly raise the ceiling of the team this season. He played college ball at the University of Oklahoma, which isn’t far from Paycom Center in OKC. With that in mind, the Thunder already have Isaiah Joe on a much cheaper contract that can shoot it well from beyond the arc. He’s not nearly as proven of a shooter as Hield, but is younger, cheaper and doesn’t need an extension in the near future.
If Oklahoma City really did want to make a trade and engage the Pacers, it’s one of Hield’s teammates that should be the target.
Myles Turner has been on the trade block several times in the past few years, but was signed to an extension last season. Although that would indicate his time in Indiana won’t be coming to an end soon, the right type of offer could sway the Pacers.
Next to Chet Holmgren in the frontcourt, OKC would then have two tremendous shot blockers that stand at 7-feet tall that can also step out and shoot from beyond the arc. There could be some redundancy playing two centers in the starting lineup, but Holmgren is capable of playing power forward.
In short, if the Thunder were to call the Pacers to make a trade, conversations around Myles Turner would make more sense than Buddy Hield.
Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.
