The Mavericks have interest in acquiring Pacers sharpshooter Buddy Hield, veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein confirmed in the latest edition of The Saturday Stein Line on 97.1 FM in Dallas (hat tip to Grant Afseth of SI.com). However, according to Stein, there’s “no traction between the teams at this point.”
Shams Charania of The Athletic previously identified the Mavericks as a potential suitor for Hield. In addition to confirming that interest, Stein points out that the 30-year-old maintains an offseason residence in Dallas, meaning that – in all likelihood – he “wouldn’t exactly protest” if he were traded to the Mavs.
Dallas also has a logical outgoing trade chip in Tim Hardaway Jr., whose $17.9MM cap hit could be used as a salary-matching piece for Hield’s $19.3MM expiring deal. But Stein doesn’t get the sense that Indiana would have much interest in acquiring Hardaway.
“My read at this juncture is that the Pacers are not inclined to make that sort of swap,” Stein said. “At least not now.”
Unlike Hield, who will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, Hardaway has a second guaranteed season left on his contract and will count for $16.2MM against the cap in 2024/25. If they’re not acquiring a player who can be part of their long-term core in a Hield deal, the Pacers would likely prefer to take back expiring salaries so as not to compromise their potential 2024 cap flexibility.
Still, if the Mavericks were willing to attach the right assets to Hardaway, Indiana would have to consider such a deal. So far this offseason though, Dallas has shown no inclination to move either Josh Green or Jaden Hardy, having kept both young players out of their Clint Capela trade talks with Atlanta. The Mavs’ ability to trade future draft assets is also pretty limited — they have just one movable first-round pick and three tradable second-rounders.
If Dallas were to offer a first-rounder without heavy protection, the Pacers would presumably become more open to the idea of a Hield/Hardaway swap. I’m skeptical the Mavs would be willing to pay that sort of price for a role player on an expiring contract – even one who shoots as well as Hield – but Stein does think the Pacers will be able to extract a solid return for the veteran wing.
“My instinct is that the Pacers actually do have a pretty good chance to manufacture a first-rounder from someone out there when they trade Hield,” he said.
Pacers are not going to want Hardaway for a extra year in a deal. I doubt Dallas want to give up another 1st rounder for Heild. Sounds more like a Mavs reporter is trying to dump Hardaway contract.
Sounds like you repeated exactly what the article said almost verbatim. What is your point ?
Go away hater
So, DAL looked at its current roster and decided it needed another perimeter shooter who can’t defend.
They do need more shooting, but the only way Hield fits is if they can dump Hardaway, who is both a worse defender and scorer, and less consistent than Hield (who actually looked about average on D last season, and the stats back that). Which is probably exactly why the Mavs tried to offer Hardaway in the first place (and why the Pacers said no).
I’d be more worried about the Center spot, personally. I’m a believer in Lively and have always liked Holmes, but neither fits for a potential contending roster.
Every team could use more shooting, but this particular team (with a guard group of Luka, KI, Curry, Hardy) shouldn’t entertain getting it from a small SG who can’t defend.
For THJ, sure, from DAL’s standpoint, but IND would NEVER make that swap for the reasons you mention, but also (even more so) because THJ has an extra year on his contract.
Yeah, exactly, but if they *were* able to swing THJ for Hield, it would be a positive move. Not surprising that they tried it, is what I mean.
Dallas wants to keep hardaway and holmes to package for a center
That would be a lateral move, Hardaway and Hield are damn near same player.
Hield is better than Hardaway on offense with greater consistency and slightly better on defense.
Over the past three seasons, Hardaway has averaged 15/3.5/2 on 42/37/78 shooting and Hield has averaged 16/5/3 on 43/39/85 with far more threes attempted. And last season the difference was even greater. With both being the same age, Hield is the better player.
It would not make a bit of difference in the Mavs trajectory. Buddy does not make any team he has been on better, don’t even think he has made playoffs. Ball dominate Kyrie and Luka anyways.
Considering he’s only played on two teams, both of which have been rebuilding and the Kings were poorly run during his tenure there, that’s completely unsurprising. But he was definitely a positive last year for the Pacers, who with a more developed core and better health, might have snuck in over the Bulls, Raptors, and Hawks. And THJ is a very mid player who isn’t a great fit for the Mavs roster anyway. Hardaway for Hield, if the Mavs had managed it, would have been a net positive for them.
Also, Hield operates way better off-ball than Hardaway. They’re both roleplayers who play the same role, but Hield is better at every aspect of that role than Hardaway. If the contract situation were reversed or Dallas had more assets to trade, I could see it working out. But not as things currently are.
I’ve been seeing Buddy Hield to the Sixers since Ben Simmons fiasco. Maybe, if theres a 3rd team involved. Could be a path for the Clippers to get Harden.
Clippers 1st, Powell, and PJ Tucker to the Pacers.
Buddy, Bones, Morris and RoCo to the Sixers.
Harden, Theis, and another low dollar Pacers contract to the Clippers.
Pacers would obviously have to value Powell and the Clippers 1st. Sixers won’t take back any salaries beyond the coming season unless it’s a min level deal, which Bones has and would fall in the PG by committee of Pat Bev, Maxey, and Melton. And the Clippers won’t give up Mann.
Sixers would likely try to move some other pieces like Furkan or House.
Feel like the Knicks would be the perfect trade partner for a Hield trade.
They have the salary matching piece in Fournier, a younger guy like Grimes and extra 1sts. A Top 8 protected 1st with Grimes/Fournier, or a top 3 protected 1st, two 2nd’s and Fournier both seem fair.
Could also make it a bigger trade with Barrett being the big piece if the Pacers like him.
That is way too much…like Knicks wouldn’t hang up if Indy called them. Get Fournier, some 2nds and maybe a McBride. They already sent Obi to Indy, if they wanted Buddy they could have already gotten him in the deal.
I understand your comment about the Toppin deal, but it doesn’t sound like Buddy was as readily available then as he is how.
Agreed. They actually sat down to discuss an extension, then realised they were on different planets and pivoted to a trade
Capela is a much better piece in Dallas. Why add another liability on D. Your two best players don’t play D.
Stop the nonsense and just trade Lillard to Miami already
As long as the Mavs have the black hole on their salary books they will struggle to make any moves…
They just don’t have the assets for this level of trade…
I don’t think I would trade THJ for Hield straight up. It’s close. Certainly would not attach more for him.
Mavs should be targeting a defensive upgrade at the wing, not another shooter tbh. They have more than enough 3-pt shooting.
Luka, Kyrie, Curry, Grant Williams – they’ll all get their shots.
They lack length and defense at the 3. DJJ is a decent reserve pick-up. But they need to upgrade over THJ. Adding Buddy doesn’t really make sense.
And until Lively develops, honestly their Center position is pretty weak. They’ll patch together a competent starter between Powell and Holmes, but an injury to either and you’re relying upon Maxi Kleber or Markieff Morris (partially guaranteed deal).
They can only trade their 2027 1st or a 25 2nd via Toronto and a 28 2nd via Miami. So you’re limited in what type of return you’ll get for THJ. And they may have to take back a questionable player with upside to keep that FRP.
THJ + 25 Toronto SRP > Hornets
Garry Harris > Hornets
Gordon Hayward > Magic (Veteran Leadership, Playmaking Ability, Expiring Contract)
Jonathan Isaac > Mavs (Length, Defense, Potential if healthy)
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Another possible trade, more offensive minded though, would be DeRozan for Kleber, THJ, 27 FRP, 25 SRP, 28 SRP.
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Another target could be De’Andre Hunter for THJ and either picks or Josh Green/Jalen Hardy.