Warriors are giving Buddy Hield the gift that the Pacers and 76ers took from him

Previously a starter and 30+ minute per game player with the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers, Buddy Hield's playing time has been on the decline in recent seasons prior to his arrival at the Golden State Warriors.

Hield averaged 25.7 minutes per game with the Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers last season, but for the veteran sharpshooter it's not necessarily about how many minutes he sees, but the role he plays in that time.

The Warriors have returned Buddy Hield's shooting freedom

The 31-year-old's playing time could actually see another significant decrease with the Warriors this season, having played only 15 minutes in the season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on Wednesday night.

Yet that doesn't mean Hield can't be more effective with Golden State than where he's been previously in the NBA. He was everywhere in his 15 minutes, getting up 12 shots including seven from three-point range, and even hustling and throwing himself around on defense.

Hield had a team-high 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 5-of-7 from beyond the arc, while also adding five rebounds and finishing as a +20. Hield's 12 field-goal attempts were two more than he averaged last season despite playing 10 MINUTES LESS than he averaged.

That's remarkable and showcases just how Golden State are giving back the freedom to Hield to not just shoot the ball at will, but actively be involved in the offense and scurry around rather than be simply a stationary catch-and-shoot threat.

The man himself even believes this is new territory for him in regard to his NBA career, with Hield stating postgame (via Danny Emerman) that “I think last time it was free like this (for me) was at Oklahoma.”

Hield is referring to his four-year college career at Oklahoma which included a senior year where he averaged 25 points per game, helping lead to his selection as the sixth overall pick by the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2016 NBA Draft. That final college season saw Hield shoot an extraordinary 45.7% from three-point range on 8.7 attempts as he finished as the Naismith College Player of the Year among a number of other awards.

He may not get the opportunity to average 25 points per game, but perhaps Hield could shoot a similar percentage and volume from three in his first year with the Warriors. Wednesday's game was no one-off, having shot 48.7% from three on 6.5 attempts per game during the preseason.