Buddy Hield rejected a “significant” extension offer from Indiana in the fall, and with a lucrative new deal for Pascal Siakam to account for, the Pacers’ ability to retain Hield as a free agent this offseason was in doubt, which is why they sent him to the Sixers on Thursday, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
Philadelphia, which doesn’t currently have any guaranteed money on its books beyond 2023/24 besides Joel Embiid‘s contract, is much better positioned to retain Hield, though the 76ers will likely consider many options with their projected cap room.
Echoing Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter video link), Fischer says star forward Paul George figures to be a top target for the Sixers if he doesn’t sign an extension with the Clippers in the coming weeks or months. Nuggets wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who holds a player option for 2024/25, has also been mentioned as a possible Philadelphia target, per Fischer.
The Sixers wouldn’t be the only team in play for George if he reaches free agency, according to Fischer, who suggests there have been whispers that the veteran is intrigued by the possibility of returning to Indiana and teaming up with Tyrese Haliburton. Such a move would be tricky – but certainly not impossible – from a cap perspective.
Philadelphia’s offseason outlook will hinge in part on what the team’s plans are for Tobias Harris. According to Fischer, the Sixers weren’t willing to include him in a deadline deal that would have sent him to Detroit, with Pistons wings Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks going to Philly. The Pistons may be in the mix for Harris in free agency this summer, Fischer notes, adding that Hornets forward Miles Bridges is another player expected to be on Detroit’s radar.
Here are a few more post-deadline items of interest from Fischer:
- Multiple front offices came away from their conversations with the Hawks believing that Atlanta could make star guard Trae Young available this summer, says Fischer. However, he cautions that could “prove to be wishful thinking,” since the information is coming from rival teams rather than from the Hawks themselves. If Young were to hit the trade market, the Lakers and Spurs are among the clubs widely viewed as potential fits, Fischer adds.
- League personnel anticipate that the Lakers will resume conversations with the Hawks about Dejounte Murray in the offseason, according to Fischer, who notes that the Pelicans could revisit their Murray talks at that point too. Atlanta is known to value multiple players on New Orleans’ roster, league sources Fischer, though one of those players – Naji Marshall – will be an unrestricted free agent this July.
- Although there were several teams open to the idea of acquiring D’Angelo Russell, many front offices viewed his $18.7MM player option for 2024/25 as having negative value, Fischer reports. That thinking, along with Russell’s strong recent play, factored into the Lakers‘ decision to hang onto him through the deadline.
- In addition to the recently released players who will hit the free agent market shortly, center Bismack Biyombo, forward Rudy Gay, and swingman Danny Green are among the veterans who were waived earlier in 2023/24 and continue to seek new NBA homes, Fischer writes, singling out Biyombo as a player expected to generate interest.
Pacers offered Hield a contract, but he rejected it. I think he overvalues his worth. He’ll be 32 years old this year and can’t defend. Few NBA teams have cap space to offer him the contract he wants. Sixers have cap space next season, but they are looking to sign a star. Hield is not a star. I can’t see Buddy Hield getting more than a 4 year $60M contract, if that. You can get McDermott for much less and he’s a better shooter.
2/36 is the most I’d go on Buddy. Using the fall off of other 1 trick ponies like Joe Harris. Hell be 32.
If the Sixers do in fact land PG13, they finally have a legitimate shot at contending since Himmy left.
76ers blew the trade deadline chances yesterday. The most obvious player they should have targeted was Andre Drummond, (2 2nds would have landed him apparently, but they chose not to, and didn’t address the C position at all. Instead, they start by trading M.Morris Sr.Korkmaz, & 3 #2s for Buddy Hield(ok, don’t love it but it’s good), then they give a 2nd Rd pick & D.Houde away for zilch. Next is trading Pat Bev, whose been great in his role this season, to #2 seed MIL for a 2nd & C.Paynd(Terrible deal), then to top things off, they traded 21 year old Jaden Springer, who locked down Luka to 15 pts Mon, & Steph Curry to 9pts on Wed, and they send him to MF’n Boston for a 2nd. Why? They get a D- for the deadline.
Cause Kyle Lowry is heavily expected to be brought out and we are the favourites to land him. So what we did was clear cap space in order to have the best offer for him, and clear playing time by moving point away our other guards.
I actually think Philly did Pat a massive solid sending him to the Bucks. Pats good mates with Giannas and says in his podcast how he’s been asked to come play in Milwaukee a bunch.
Moving forward after we get Lowry I’m guessing we will line up
Lowry Maxey Oubre Harris Embiid
Melton Heild Batum Reed
Payne RoCo Martin Bamba
I’m not the biggest fan at the lack of defence among the starters but offensively we should be solid. I think overall everyone is average to slightly above average defensively with Embiid being a top tier defender when he wants to be. I like Heild coming off the bench and lighting it up from 3 consistently and Reed has shown really promising signs too.
It’s definitely more optimism but I like our team
Way I see it… they have to target Robin Lopez, really no bigs got dropped except him and Biyombo.
Lowry or Dinwiddie, and then Gallo or Fournier. Unless someone else that’s better is available.