Buddy Hield's time with the Golden State Warriors appears to be nearing its end, with the veteran sharpshooter removed from Steve Kerr's rotation on Saturday and growing as a trade candidate ahead of the February mid-season deadline.
Hield's form has been one of the many issues facing the Warriors through the first two months of the season, leading to Kerr taking the brutal (but understandable) step of snapping the 33-year-old's remarkable run of games since joining the franchise in the 2024 offseason.
Buddy Hield may have played his way directly off the Warriors
Including last season's playoffs where he was the hero in Game 7 of the first-round, Hield had played in 122 consecutive games since the start of last season. While that has now come to an end, he may be more concerned about what this means for his future leading up to the February 5 deadline.
Hield's minutes had been slashed to 18.5 per game anyway, subsequently leading to a career-low 7.9 points per game on 41.3% shooting from the floor and 32% from 3-point range. To make matters worse for the 10-year veteran and his chances of returning to the rotation, his replacement -- rookie guard Will Richard -- was the biggest individual positive of Saturday's game as the Warriors came away with a 119-116 victory.
Richard had 20 points and five rebounds in only 19 minutes off the bench, shooting 6-of-7 from the floor and 4-of-4 from 3-point range. Despite his reputation as one of the greatest shooters in the league over the past decade, Hield has only made four threes or more three times for Golden State this season, including only twice since the season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Not only did Richard return to the rotation, but the likes of Pat Spencer, Gary Payton II and Gui Santos also saw minutes over Hield. In fact, with Jonathan Kuminga, Al Horford and Seth Curry sidelined, Hield was the only available player not used by Kerr in the crucial 3-point win.
If Hield is no longer part of the rotation, then it only makes for his $9.2 million salary to be used in a trade to upgrade the roster. Golden State have been linked to a number of different players, including stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Trey Murphy III, and most recently the athletic center trio of Nic Claxton, Daniel Gafford and Robert Williams III.
Hield could be used as an important salary matching tool for any of these players, particularly given only $3 million of his contract is guaranteed for next season, almost making him an expiring contract of sorts.
He'll always be remembered for what was an extraordinary performance in Game 7 against the Houston Rockets, but we might just be entering the final stretch of Hield's time at the Warriors.