Pacers to trade Buddy Hield to 76ers

The Sixers will also send the Pacers $1.5M in cash, a league source tells Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey reports that the draft picks involved in the deal will be the Raptors’ 2024 second-rounder and the Clippers’ and Trail Blazers’ 2029 second-rounders.

Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported that the two teams were nearing a deal for Hield.

Although he’s having a down year relative to his career rates, Hield remains one of the NBA’s most dangerous outside shooters. The 31-year-old is averaging 12.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 25.7 minutes per night (52 games) so far in 2023-24, with a 38.4% three-point rate on 6.9 attempts per contest.

Hield saw his role cut back this season on a deep Indiana roster — his 9.9 field goal attempts per game represent his lowest mark since he was a rookie in 2016/17.

However, he’s a career 40.1% three-point shooter and has knocked down at least 262 total threes in each of the past five seasons prior to this one. His now-former teammate Tyrese Haliburton raved this week about Hield’s ability to space the floor and create room for others to operate.

The Sixers had been in the market for size and shooting ahead of the trade deadline and will achieve one of those goals without compromising their projected cap room for this offseason since Hield – like Morris and Korkmaz – is on an expiring contract. They also didn’t have to give up a first-round pick, which Indiana had been seeking for Hield as recently as Wednesday, notes Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports.

As cap expert Yossi Gozlan notes Hield’s $19.3M cap hit for this season will be adjusted upward to $19.8M as a result of the trade since some of the playoff-related bonuses in his contract that were considered unlikely will now be deemed likely. Hield is extension-eligible through June 30, though he’d be limited to a two-year deal and 5% raises if he inks a new deal prior to free agency.

Philadelphia remains about $1.6M above the luxury tax line, Gozlan adds, and can create a $5.4M trade exception in the deal.

Hield had long been considered a trade candidate for the Pacers, who explored a preseason extension with the veteran shooting guard and couldn’t agree to terms. Recognizing that they likely wouldn’t keep Hield beyond this season, Indiana decided to get what it could for him now.

The Pacers won’t have to waive a player to complete the deal, since they have two open spots on their 15-man roster following the expiration of James Johnson‘s 10-day contract on Wednesday night.