Mavericks Would Acquire $94 Million Guard in Proposed Trade

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Buddy Hield #24 of the Sacramento Kings dribbles the ball against Jalen Brunson #13 of the Dallas Mavericks.

Since the Dallas Mavericks acquired Luka Doncic on draft night 2018, they have struggled to find a reliable co-star for the generational talent. The franchise thought Kristaps Porzingis could be his running mate, but injuries plagued the early years of his career.

With Jalen Brunson departing for the New York Knicks in free agency, the Mavericks are once again in the hunt for a player to pair with their franchise cornerstone. One possible option could be a high-volume sharpshooter looking for a winning situation.

After trading away All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis last season, the Indiana Pacers are preparing for a youth movement. Among the veterans they could look to move on from this season is Buddy Hield. In the 26 games he played for Indiana last year, the former No. 6 pick averaged 18.2 PPG while shooting 36% from deep on close to nine attempts per game.

While putting together trades for contenders, Heavy’s Sean Deveney put together a framework for the Mavericks to make a move for Hield. In the scenario, they part ways with Davis Bertans and Josh Green in exchange for the 29-year-old.

Dallas was just 19^th in the NBA in 3-point percentage last year, at 35.0%, and while Hield will be costly on defense, he can be a top-notch option from the arc. The Mavericks have done much to juggle the pieces around Luka Doncic in the past year, but it’s clear that they need better shooting to open up the floor. Hield delivers that.

Western Conference Executive Chimes in on Buddy Hield

Since being drafted in 2016, Buddy Hield hasn’t always been in the best of situations. Halfway through his rookie season, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings from the New Orleans Pelicans. After a long stint with one of the league’s most struggling franchises, he finds himself on a rebuilding Pacers team.

Landing on a team like Dallas would put Hield in a position to play for a playoff team. When talking to Sean Deveney, one Western Conference executive opened up on how a winning situation could do good for the sharpshooting guard.

Buddy has been his own worst enemy at times, one Western Conference exec told Heavy Sports. He has a temper, he does not want to work on defense, all the things we have heard. But he has never been in a winning situation. He’s never been on a playoff team. He’s never been in a place where you knew there was some stability. If you put him on a team like that, at this point in his career, it will go a long way toward straightening him out.

Buddy Hield is a Perfect Fit for Mavericks

In today’s NBA, a team can never have enough shooting. As someone who averages 7.6 three-point attempts per game, Buddy Hield is a perfect fit for the Mavericks.

Few players in the league garner as much attention as Luka Doncic does. Surrounding him with as much shooting as possible should be a primary objective for the Mavs moving forward. Having Hield on the floor would give the All-Star point guard a kick-out option that is never scared to let it fly from deep.

With the additions of Christian Wood and JaVale McGee this summer, Dallas has solidified its frontcourt. Targeting a three-point specialist like Hield could be the solution to any floor-spacing concerns that might potentially arise.