New Report Indicates Why Buddy Hield Chose Warriors Over Lakers in Free Agency

Tom Dierberger | Jul 4, 2024

Lakers forward LeBron James dribbles the basketball against Indiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield during a game in December 2023. / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Buddy Hield is taking his talents to the Bay Area, as the Golden State Warriors acquired the 31-year-old guard on Thursday in a sign-and-trade with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Hield signed a four-year deal with Golden State worth a reported $21 million in guaranteed money.

Hield, who is coming off a season in which he averaged 12.1 points on 38.6% shooting from three-point range, was undecided about his next basketball destination until a conversation with Warriors coach Steve Kerr on Wednesday. The Athletic reported that Hield made his decision on Thursday after sleeping on it for a night.

As for why he picked the Warriors over his other reported interested teams like the Los Angeles Lakers?

"Hield chose the Warriors because of the opportunity to win, per league sources," The Athletic wrote. "His suitors included the Detroit Pistons and Lakers."

Golden State is coming off a disappointing 46–36 season in which they got bounced in the first game of the play-in tournament. The Lakers didn't fare much better, winning 47 games and entering the postseason bracket only to lose in the first round to the Denver Nuggets in five games.

Hield, however, apparently believes Golden State's chances in a packed Western Conference next season are better than that of the chances in Los Angeles. As the newest member of Golden State's backcourt, he'll be tasked with filling the void that Klay Thompson left by joining the Dallas Mavericks this offseason—in terms of three-point shooting, at least, not necessarily in postgame paper airplanes.

The Lakers have swung and missed at several pursuits of contributing players this offseason, from Paul George to Thompson to Hield. As of Thursday, DeMar DeRozan, Miles Bridges, Tyus Jones and Malik Beasley remain among the top players still available on the open market.