As the Golden State Warriors have awaited a resolution to their lingering Jonathan Kuminga saga this offseason, their apparent interests in free agency have primarily centered around veteran guards to help shore up their relatively thin backcourt.
Yet, at the same time, their unwillingness to move Buddy Hield in order to facilitate a sign-and-trade for Kuminga signifies how they perceive his important to the rotation, and, in order for him to fill the role they envision for him, he must continue to lean even further into his catch-and-shoot abilities.
Last season with Golden State, Hield was one of the team's best shooters, but his inconsistencies and cold streaks at times prevented him from being a true difference-maker on the roster. Therefore, if the team is going to surround him with playmakers and perimeter defenders, Hield must focus solely on hitting his shots.
Buddy Hield must be an elite catch-and-shoot player for the Warriors' plans to work
Last season, through 82 games with the Warriors, Hield was often one of the team's best scorers, averaging 11.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 37% from 3-point range.
While he saw stretches at the starting shooting guard spot for the team, the hot-and-cold nature of his perimeter shot forced him largely into a role as a bench shooting threat: a spot that would be ideal for him if the organization continues its pursuit of guards this offseason.
Yet, even beyond the streaky shooting, there was a further oddity in his stats last season. Across the 2024-25 season, Hield took a total of 786 shot attempts, 549 of which were 3-point attempts. Yet, on catch-and-shoot threes, Hield shot 39%: well above his total mark on 3-pointers.
Yet, on pull-up 3-pointers, Hield shot an abysmal 31.9%. While a large gap between these two categories is not unusual about sharpshooters, this signifies something important about Hield's game: he is most effective when he can play off-ball with a playmaker and should not be relied upon to create his own shots.
If there is a single available free agent who could be trusted to take over playmaking duties for the bench, it would be veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon. Over the past three seasons, Brogdon has posted a 25.5 assist percentage, making him the perfect player to pair alongside Hield on the team's bench unit.
Nevertheless, if signing Brogdon does not end up being a possibility for Golden State, it is still clear what route they must take with Hield. In order to be the best version of himself, the organization must furnish him with a playmaker to unlock his catch-and-shoot potential.