Over the past few months, rumors have been continuously swirling around 2020 NBA Three-Point champion Buddy Hield and his future with the Sacramento Kings . Since he was demoted to the bench, speculations grew that Hield was unhappy with the Kings and would find his way out of Sacramento in the 2020 NBA offseason. With the Kings expected to re-sign Bogdan Bogdanovic in the 2020 NBA free agency, there is a strong possibility they will consider trading Hield.
Once he becomes officially available on the trading block, several teams will surely express interest in adding him to their roster, including the Philadelphia 76ers . In his recent article, Dan Favale of Bleacher Report included the Hield-to-Sixers trade as one of the blockbuster deals that would shake up the 2020-21 NBA season.
The 2019-20 NBA season is still far from over, but with their current performance, most people don’t see the Sixers reaching the NBA Finals this year. They may have made major upgrades on their roster last summer, but Al Horford and Josh Richardson don’t complement franchise cornerstones Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.
Philadelphia could correct their mistake by using Horford and Richardson as trade chips to find the ideal teammate for Simmons and Embiid. In the proposed trade deal by Bleacher Report , the Sixers would be sending a trade package including Horford, Richardson, a 2020 first-round pick, and a 2020 second-round pick to the Kings in exchange for Hield and Cory Joseph. If the Kings ask for more assets in return, Favale said Philly shouldn’t think twice before sending another future draft pick to Sacramento.
“Philly shouldn’t rule out bolstering this offer if Sacramento presses. Hield is a perfect fit for a team trying to build around Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, two non-shooters. He can fly around screens, and his transition efficiency should skyrocket back to 2018-19 levels while throwing up bombs off passes from Simmons. If the Sixers need to attach one of their many other seconds to entice the Kings, then so be it.”
The deal appears to be a no-brainer for the Sixers, as it would enable them to hit two birds with one stone. Aside from getting rid of Horford and his massive contract, they would also be acquiring a young and promising talent in Hield, who could form a lethal trio with Simmons and Embiid. Hield would give the team a very reliable scoring option and three-point shooter.
This season, the 27-year-old shooting guard has boasted 19.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists while shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from beyond the arc. Those numbers are expected to improve once he returns to the starting lineup and receives a more significant role on the offensive end of the floor. As for Joseph, he would provide the Sixers with a reliable backup point guard that has playoff experience.