76ers trading for Buddy Hield to start deadline day

Daryl Morey and the 76ers are starting trade deadline day hot.

Marcus Morris, Furkan Korkmaz, and three second-round picks to the Indiana Pacers for Buddy Hield, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Hield, 31, is on the last year of his four-year, $94 million contract and is set to receive $18 million for the rest of the season.

He is averaging 12.2 points per game on 6.9 three-point attempts making him a 38% shooter from three.

Hield is eighth in the NBA this season in three-point attempts per 36 minutes, whereas his new team the Sixers is last in three-point frequency. Hield is a 40% three-point shooter in his career.

The Sixers need both the accuracy and volume Hield can provide.

Hield’s ability to put the ball on the floor and his defense is questionable. While he has improved throughout his NBA career in those aspects, it is difficult to know if he will be playoff-viable in those spots for the Sixers.

Landing Hield concerns me about the status of De’Anthony Melton‘s health going forward. Melton has started 91 games for the Sixers over the last two seasons but has missed time with two separate back issues, dealing with lumbar spine soreness right now, and missed his 16th game of the last 18 Wednesday night.

Whether Hield slides into the starting lineup or comes off the bench, he should be an extremely useful addition to Nick Nurse’s rotation.