The Atlanta Hawks are expected to shop Buddy Hield this summer. If they do, they need to get the right type of player back.
The Atlanta Hawks have decided to keep Buddy Hield, for now.
It's official. The team has picked up Hield's $9.66 million salary. That means Hield will be getting paid no matter what next season.
Whether it's the Hawks footing the bill, or not.
Sure, he's currently under contract with the Hawks. The rumors suggest that it might be a formality. There are whispers that the Hawks will be looking to move Hield in an offseason trade.
Would that be the right decision?
Hawks Should Be Careful With Roster Moves
Very few NBA players earn the "untouchable" label. Obviously. Hield is no exception. If the right deal is on the table, the Hawks should take it.
Still, they have to consider roster construction. The Hawks did well from beyond the three-point line in 2025-26. That was an accomplishment considering how prominent Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson were in their rotation. The Hawks mitigated that duo's poor shooting by surrounding them with as many high-volume, high-efficiency three-point shooters as they could.
Meanwhile, Hield is among the most prolific shooters in the NBA.
Granted, the Hawks didn't rely on him last year. In 7 games with the squad, he averaged just 7.3 minutes per game. Obviously, the Hawks had the success that they had after the All-Star break largely without Hield.
Still, if they're going to move him, whoever they're bringing in had better be able to space the floor.
Hawks Must Add Shooting to Roster
There is value in having a 10th man with a needed skillset. If the Hawks lose somebody to injury, having Hield and his elite three-point gravity waiting to replace them is meaningful.
Yet, there are reasons why Hield hardly saw the floor for Atlanta. He's a poor defender. That's his main shortcoming, but Hield doesn't offer much ball-handling either. He's a pure shooting specialist.
So, trading him for a slightly lesser (but still high-end) shooter who can also provide some defensive value would be sensible. Trading him for a floor spacing big man to get some surplus shooting from that position would too.
Trading him for a non-shooter would be pointless.
For all his warts, Hield is one of the best shooters in NBA history. A team built around a poor shooting playmaking forward who relies so heavily on another non-shooter ought to value that skillset. Any Hield trade that brings in a subpar shooter will be a mistake.
If they can move him for another shooter, he shouldn't be untouchable.
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