The Pacers and Sixers have agreed on a trade that will send sharpshooter Buddy Hield to Philadelphia, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that Indiana will receive forward Marcus Morris, guard Furkan Korkmaz, and three second-round picks.
The Sixers will also sent the Pacers $1.5MM in cash, a league source tells Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). Pompey reports that the draft picks involved in the deal will be the Raptors’ 2024 second-rounder, and the Clippers’ and Trail Blazers’ 2029 second-rounders.
Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported (via Twitter) that the two teams were nearing a deal for Hield.
Although he’s having a down year relative to his career rates, Hield remains one of the NBA’s most dangerous outside shooters. The 31-year-old is averaging 12.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 25.7 minutes per night (52 games) so far in 2023/24, with a 38.4% three-point rate on 6.9 attempts per contest.
Hield saw his role cut back this season on a deep Indiana roster — his 9.9 field goal attempts per game represent his lowest mark since he was a rookie in 2016/17.
However, he’s a career 40.1% three-point shooter and has knocked down at least 262 total threes in each of the past five seasons prior to this one. His now-former teammate Tyrese Haliburton raved this week about Hield’s ability to space the floor and create room for others to operate.
The Sixers had been in the market for size and shooting ahead of the trade deadline and will achieve one of those goals without compromising their projected cap room for this offseason, since Hield – like Morris and Korkmaz – is on an expiring contract. They also didn’t have to give up a first-round pick, which Indiana had been seeking for Hield as recently as Wednesday, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports.
As cap expert Yossi Gozlan notes (via Twitter), Hield’s $19.3MM cap hit for this season will be adjusted upward to $19.8MM as a result of the trade, since some of the playoff-related bonuses in his contract that were considered unlikely will now be deemed likely. Hield is extension-eligible through June 30, though he’d be limited to a two-year deal and 5% raises if he inks a new deal prior to free agency.
Philadelphia remains about $1.6MM above the luxury tax line, Gozlan adds (via Twitter), and can create a $5.4MM trade exception in the deal.
Hield had long been considered a trade candidate for the Pacers, who explored a preseason extension with the veteran shooting guard and couldn’t agree to terms. Recognizing that they likely wouldn’t keep Hield beyond this season, Indiana decided to get what it could for him now.
The Pacers won’t have to waive a player to complete the deal, since they have two open spots on their 15-man roster following the expiration of James Johnson‘s 10-day contract on Wednesday night.
It’s unclear if Indiana intends to hang onto both Morris and Korkmaz. A physical, versatile forward and a Philadelphia native, Morris averaged 6.7 PPG and 2.9 RPG on .439/.400/.861 shooting in 37 games (17.2 MPG) for the Sixers this season, while Korkmaz chipped in 2.5 PPG on .395/.350/.700 shooting in 35 contests (8.6 MPG).
Morris is making $17.1MM; Korkmaz’ cap hit is $5.4MM.
Hield can score but he is useless at everything else. Didn’t give up anything of value so I’m ok with it
Fantastic trade. Joel needs shooters who can actually score around him. Morey gave up nothing and preserved cap space next year. Buddy we don’t pay you for defense.
He can playmake well enough to open up more shots for himself and his teammates too. Nice little bonus when his 3pt shooting is so elite.
So he’s like majority of players in the NBA? Gotcha
not bad for pacers, morris is solid bench and maybe korknaz will be motivated to play basketball again
the 3 2nds are good
Better get something for hield than get nothing at all.
It’s all about the picks
Good deal for 76ers. Get another shooter on the roster. Hield doesn’t play defense but he can be still effective on the offensive floor. Low risk for both teams with high rewards potentially.
Wow. Steal for the Sixers. I feel bad for the Pacers players who wanted Hield to stay.
Indiana changing what made everything work this season. Doing what Atlanta did 3 yrs back
I guess I don’t completely follow? Trading away Hield changes what made this team work? What made this team work at the beginning of the season was Tyrese playing out of his mind on a team that was playing historically bad defense. The team needed to improve so they went out and acquired Siakem and now have traded Hield, who was on an expiring contract and doesn’t play defense.
From the team they started at the very beginning of the season they built to trading some 1st to tearing it down till what they have now. Yes they got Pascal but Heild was important to their team and a veteran around the same age as Pascal. They had a interchangeable team and now … We will see if all this works but I don’t like all this transactions this year for the pacers. Atlanta thought they all of sudden could be a championship team and traded their picks, spent a lot of money on veterans Galo, capela etc etc etc and look at them now… Same story. Should of kept their team together. They needed players the same age as Hali and not go all out and change what was working. We will see
I guess if by working you mean playing for 6th place in the East then sure, but I imagine the team has higher aspirations than that. They gave up, in my opinion, very little to acquire Siakem…2 2024 draft picks in a draft that is seen as weak, a 2026 pick and Bruce Brown to obtain an all-star caliber player who is far superior to Galinari and Capela. The pacers kept Mathurin, Walker, Nembhard, and Shepherd, all of whom are in their 1st or 2nd years, so they have developing youth and high quality starters.
I like this for the 76s though
Sixers are drowning and looking for Hield to save them?
They are stuck paying Hield whatever he wants on his next contract, as they are so screwed if he were to walk.
What? How are they screwed? Buddy leaving is inconsequential.
No they aren’t.
lol what?!
Hield is decent but he won’t change life for them unfortunately.
Good trade, if you can’t defend against the opposition, then outgun them
At least they will make it fun to watch
Rob pelinka punching air right now
Deal would make more sense for IND if they were in tank mode. 6th in the East, you’d think they keep Hield even if they were not going to resign him.
I agree, this is a bad trade for Indiana. Good for the 76s though
You guys are saying this now, just watch Buddy play for 2 weeks and you’ll be changing your mind
Indy has a run and gun plug and play style, I don’t think Hield is a major loss for them.