Steve Kerr won’t stop playing Buddy Hield. Ever since his extremely hot start to the season, which coincided with the Warriors' hot start, he has been a staple in the Golden State Warriors' rotation. He has played in more games than any other Warrior this season. That isn’t necessarily a good thing.
Hield has been a defensive liability his whole career. He has, however, also been one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA since entering the league. The Warriors have faced the highs of Buddy’s shooting and the lows of his defense as well.
Buddy Hield’s stats aren’t all that impressive
The issue is that his incredibly hot start to the year has probably skewed the organization’s value on him, with Hield having shot only shooting 41.5% shooting from the field and 36.8% from three. For perspective Moses Moody, who for most of the season has been playing behind Hield, is shooting 44% from the field and 38.5% from three while also providing better defense.
The real problem is though that every time it seems like it may finally be time to sit Buddy for a few games, he usually goes off and has a big game. Over his last eight outings, the 31-year-old has three games scoring 16, 22, and 22 points, and then five games with six points or less. Golden State's win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday was a perfect example of this.
Buddy was a saving grace for the Warriors at Spectrum Center. He was 5-fo-9 from 3-point range and ultimately finished with a team-leading 22 points. It seemed like a game Golden State needed Buddy to win, but that isn’t a great thing to rely on. Hield was 1-of-9 from three over the previous two games against the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers.
One thing Warriors fans definitely don’t want to see is Hield taking more shots than Jimmy Butler. Over his last four games, Buddy has taken 49 shots, while Butler has only taken 31 in his last four. That isn’t a trend that can continue into the playoffs.
Warriors shouldn’t rely on Buddy Hield
The issue is that if Steve Kerr and the Warriors’ coaching staff continue to play Hield, he will inevitably have games like Monday night. The Warriors cannot rely on a 22-point game from Hield to beat a team like the Hornets.
When the Warriors are playing Play-In or playoff games, they cannot have Hield playing key minutes. His defense is just too big of an issue, and his shooting efficient isn't good enough to make up for it and warrant important minutes. So while a hot night from Hield is always enjoyable, the Warriors should make rotational plans to limit his playoff run.