NBA Rumors: Buddy Hield Traded to 76ers; Pacers Get Marcus Morris, Korkmaz and Picks

The Indiana Pacers have traded shooting guard Buddy Hield to the Philadelphia 76ers ahead of Thursday’s deadline, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Pacers will receive Marcus Morris, Furkan Korkmaz and three second-round picks in return.

This is the second time the 31-year-old has been traded in the last three years. The Pacers acquired him in February 2022 as part of a trade with the Sacramento Kings that involved six players. He’s in the last year of his contract, and he’s making $19.2 million in the 2023-24 season.

Last spring, Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said the team was “not opposed to” signing him to an extension.

However, The Athletic and Stadium’s Shams Charania reported on Sept. 20 that talks for a potential extension had stalled and both sides were working together to find a trade for the veteran. Hield said during media day on Oct. 2 that he was open to remaining with the Pacers, but that ultimately didn’t happen.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Jan. 14 that the Pacers “have been building trade offers around a package” of Hield and a first-round pick.

Hield’s production has dipped this season as he’s been deployed in a hybrid bench role for the Pacers. In 52 games with 28 starts, he averaged 12 points per game, the second-lowest average of his career. His average of 25.7 minutes is also his lowest since 2017-18.

In 80 games with 73 starts in 2022-23, he averaged 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 42.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Hield had spent the majority of his seven-year career in Sacramento, but the move to Indiana breathed new life into him. After averaging 14.4 points in 55 games with the Kings in the first half of the 2021-22 campaign, he averaged 18.2 points with the Pacers while adding career highs of 5.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 26 games.

Drafted sixth overall by the New Orleans Pelicans in 2016, the Oklahoma product has developed into one of the most reliable three-point shooters in the NBA. He has a career three-point shooting percentage of 40.1.

The Sixers have a 30-20 record this season. They shipped away James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this season for a substantial haul of players and draft picks.

Acquiring Hield is a strong move for Philadelphia, as he will bring his sharpshooting to an offense that averages 36.2 percent from beyond the arc this season. His presence will also help to fill the scoring void left by Joel Embiid’s absence. The reigning MVP remains out indefinitely due to a meniscus injury.

Hield has yet to compete in the playoffs in his NBA career, so he will likely be extra motivated to help the Sixers contend for a postseason spot this year.