Buddy Hield Trade Rumors: Pacers Eyeing 1st-Round Pick, Rotation Player in Any Deal

The Indiana Pacers are placing a premium on Buddy Hield for any teams interested in acquiring the veteran wing, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.

Scotto cited five NBA executives who said the Pacers are holding out for a first-round draft pick and a rotation player. Indiana would take a less draft compensation, though, if it got an accompanying bump in the caliber of player coming back in the deal.

Hield is on an expiring contract with an $18.6 million salary for this season. If the Pacers were rebuilding right now, then they wouldn't have a ton of leverage thanks to his contract status. Instead, Indiana is sixth in the Eastern Conference at 9-7, so the front office has every reason to hold firm despite the potential for him to bolt as a free agent.

The 30-year-old is averaging 13.6 points and shooting 41.7 percent from beyond the arc, and his 50 made threes are second on the team behind Tyrese Haliburton.

Hield put his long-range prowess on display in a 157-152 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 21, going a perfect 6-of-6 from beyond the arc. The next night, he knocked down seven threes in a one-point loss to the Toronto Raptors.

Because of his profile, Hield would presumably have a robust market if the Pacers signaled they were willing to seriously entertain offers. Being an elite three-point shooter is a skill that's transferrable to basically any team.

From Indiana's perspective, flipping him would make sense under the right circumstances. Getting a first-rounder along with a nice rotation piece could set the team up nicely for the future.

Absent that kind of package, it's difficult to see how trading Hield is worth it as long as the Pacers remain on a playoff trajectory.