Should the Hawks keep Buddy Hield or prioritize draft positioning? Explore the arguments for and against his buyout.
NBA trades can get a little bit messy. Players get involved who are only there to make the money work. That means real human beings are forced to pick up and move to a new city for an organization's convenience. At least they get to be NBA players.
The Atlanta Hawks acquired Buddy Hield at the NBA trade deadline. Yet, they didn't really, did they? The Hawks flipped Kristaps Porziņģis for Jonathan Kuminga. Hield was only in the deal because Porziņģis makes more money than Kuminga does.
Should the Hawks buy him out?
The Pros of the Atlanta Hawks Buying Out Buddy Hield
The pros are simple. Hield is a veteran, and the Hawks are rebuilding. Any time he's on the floor is a time when one of Atlanta's young players isn't in his place. The Hawks should be prioritizing Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Zaccharie Risacher and Corey Kispert over Hield.
Moreover, the Hawks have no incentive to win games. As one of the best three-point shooters in the league, Hield could make the Hawks better. That's a dangerous game if they want to maximize their odds in the upcoming NBA Draft lottery. This is a potentially generational draft class, and the Hawks should want to capitalize.
Finally, Hield is one of the best shooters in the NBA, but he isn't much of a defender. Part of why the Hawks moved Trae Young this year was to establish a defensive culture. Giving Hield regular playing time runs contrary to that message. So, this one is a no-brainer. Right?
The Cons of the Atlanta Hawks Buying Out Buddy Hield
Let's talk basketball. Ignore future-focused considerations. Imagine, hypothetically, that the Hawks would prefer to win games. A crazy concept, right?
Hield is a player they need in their rotation. With Jalen Johnson, Kuminga and Daniels as rotational fixtures, the spacing can get cramped in Atlanta. Keeping Hield allows them to mix and match those shaky shooting playmakers with floor spacers.
Let's be honest: Hield could help the Hawks this year, but he's not going to vault them into playoff contention. He'd only be compromising the tank to a marginal extent. A career 39.5% three-point shooter, Hield provides a proven commodity off the bench, even if his numbers have dipped to 34.2% from deep this season across stints with the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks.
There is value in getting Johnson, Kuminga and Daniels some experience with a player archetype they'll be playing with down the line. Johnson, in particular, would benefit from experience making plays for a movement shooter like Hield. How much is that experience worth?
The Verdict
The more conventional route is for the rebuilding team to buy the useful veteran out, but the Hawks don't have to follow convention. Keeping Hield may be a hot take. If he were more impactful, it would be a different conversation.
Instead, he's a perfect placeholder for the type of player the Hawks will need for years with this young core. Even if it eventually takes a messy trade to land one.