INDIANAPOLIS — The Pacers have traded veteran guard Buddy Hield to the 76ers for veteran forward Marcus Morris, shooting guard Furkan Korkmaz and three second-round picks, according to a report from ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Neither player was expected to be with the Pacers until before their game against the Warriors on Thursday. Morris was later traded to the Spurs in a deal that acquired Doug McDermott and Korkmaz was waived according to a report from Wojnarowski.
Hield set the Pacers' team record for 3-pointers last season with 288, ranking second in the NBA after Golden State player Klay Thompson. His numbers have declined this season as he has been in and out of the starting lineup as he is averaging 12.0 points per game after averaging 16.8 per game last season and his 3-point clip has dropped from 42.5% to 38.4% but he still has 137 3-pointers this season which puts him 14th in the NBA. His 1,842 career three-pointers placed him 22nd on the NBA's all-time list.
The 31-year-old Hield's four-year, $92 million contract is set to expire at the end of this season, and attempts to sign him to a contract extension this summer were unsuccessful. Hield was asked after the Pacers' win over the Rockets on Tuesday about his feelings heading into the deadline.
loss: Why don't his Pacers teammates want to trade Hield?
“It's the business of basketball,” Hield said. “One thing is I always thank God I have a jersey. You always appreciate that someone wants you there. If that happens, a team will have a friend who is ready to play and excited for new opportunities. Right. Now I'm happy in Indiana and taking it day by day.” “We will see what happens.”
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said in his press conference before Thursday's game with the Warriors that he cannot discuss any upcoming players, but he can discuss Hield, his contributions and his departure. He said he spoke with Heald earlier Thursday.
“He left an indelible impression on the people of our organization, our city and our fans,” Carlisle said. “We'll remember him and we'll certainly miss him. That's part of the job. When these things happen, you wish people well. … He'll go down in this league as one of the greatest three-point shooters ever.”
Even with McDermott eventually joining, Hield's departure means there will be more opportunities for younger players including guards Benedict Mathurin, Ben Sheppard and perhaps even Jarace Walker, although Walker is more of a frontcourt player. Although Carlisle stayed away from mentioning the Pacers' additions during the trades, he said they fit their long-term vision.
“This is part of the growth of the young players and it is also part of the growth of the roster and the franchise,” Carlisle said. “These are all the things that go along with growing a team. We're not just growing the team for this year. We have a long-term vision. The moves that have been made since the beginning of last year have been made with our goal being to become a championship-contending team. So it's a work in progress.”
NBA Trade Deadline: Pacers NBA draft pick in wake of Buddy Hield trade
According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the second-round picks in question were originally Toronto's pick in 2024, Portland's second-round pick in 2029, and the Clippers' second-round pick in 2029. He also reported $1.5 million in cash.
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