NBA Rumors: Buddy Hield, Pacers Eyeing Trade Options After Contract Talks Stall

Buddy Hield could find himself a new home during the 2023-24 season.

Hield and the Indiana Pacers are working together to find a trade partner for the veteran after contract extension negotiations between the two sides stalled, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.

Charania wrote:

"Hield is open to a trade elsewhere, according to rival team sources, but no deal is imminent and there aren't any current substantive talks with any other team. The Pacers did offer Hield an extension in recent weeks, but it's believed their proposal did not make the seven-year guard feel desired, league sources said."

Several teams are expected to express interest in Hield and conversations are expected to remain ongoing as NBA training camps begin, Charania added.

Hield is entering the final year of his contract in 2023-24 worth $19.2 million and he figures to receive a decent extension after a solid season and a half in Indiana.

The 30-year-old, who joined the Pacers in the deal that sent Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings, is coming off a 2022-23 campaign in which he averaged 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 45.8 percent from the floor and 42.5 percent from deep.

Hield has become one of the most dynamic perimeter threats in the NBA and he leads the league in three-pointers made (1,381) over the last five seasons, topping superstars Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard.

It's not necessarily surprising that the Pacers are open to moving on from Hield in the final year of his deal.

Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard was non-committal on extending Hield's contract when asked about an extension for the Oklahoma product at his 2022-23 end-of-season media availability in April.

Pritchard told reporters:

"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. 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."

One team that had been eyeing Hield throughout the 2022-23 campaign was the Los Angeles Lakers as they hoped to improve their perimeter shooting.

While it's unclear if the franchise would still be interested in Hield following the additions of Gabe Vincent, Cam Reddish and Taurean Prince, the Purple and Gold continued to be linked to the veteran ahead of the 2023 NBA draft in June.

If the Pacers are going to move on from Hield, they'll need to explore the best path forward to surround Tyrese Haliburton with enough talent to help the franchise contend for an NBA title in the future.