The Warriors’ trade-deadline shakeup brought plenty of headlines - most of them centered around Jonathan Kuminga’s departure and the arrival of Kristaps Porzingis. But if you ask anyone inside the Warriors’ locker room, there’s another name that deserves just as much attention: Buddy Hield.
While his stint in the Bay lasted just a season and a half, Hield’s impact on Golden State ran deeper than the box score. And no one captured that better than Draymond Green, who opened up about Hield’s departure on the latest episode of The Draymond Green Show.
“Buddy Hield left a mark,” Green said. “Buddy Hield is one of my favorite teammates of all time.”
That’s high praise from a player who’s shared the court with some of the most accomplished names in the game. But Green wasn’t just talking about on-court production - he was talking about presence, professionalism, and the kind of consistency that doesn't show up in stat sheets.
“You feel the gap, you feel the hole,” Green continued. “It’s the s--ttiest part of the business.”
What made Hield stand out? According to Green, it was his unshakeable attitude.
Whether Hield was lighting it up from deep or going ice cold, starting or getting DNPs, his demeanor never wavered. Rain or shine, win or lose, his energy stayed the same.
That kind of steadiness is rare - and in a locker room full of personalities, it matters.
“When you get guys like that in your organization, they leave marks,” Green said. “And Buddy Hield left a mark.”
Green even shared a behind-the-scenes moment that showed just how embedded Hield had become in the Warriors’ culture. After starting lineups, the team would huddle up - and their routine included a dance that Hield brought to the group. Even after the trade, the team kept it going.
“Yesterday, the team circled up, and Buddy Hield’s dance was done,” Green said. “That’s leaving your mark on the team.”
Not everyone gets remembered for championship banners or All-Star nods. Sometimes, it’s the intangibles - the stuff that builds chemistry, keeps spirits up, and brings a team together. That’s the legacy Hield leaves behind in Golden State.
“And that’s how, when you leave a place, you make sure you can always go back to that place,” Green added. “That’s a beautiful thing.”
Hield’s contributions weren’t just emotional, either. Warriors fans won’t soon forget his 33-point explosion in Game 7 against the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2025 playoffs - a performance that included a scorching 9-of-11 from beyond the arc. That night, he didn’t just help the Warriors advance - he etched his name into the franchise’s postseason lore.
So while the trade may have been about reshaping the roster and looking toward the future, there’s no question that Buddy Hield’s time in the Bay meant something - to the team, to the fans, and especially to his teammates.
He didn’t need to be the star to be unforgettable. He just needed to be himself - a true pro, a great teammate, and, as Draymond put it, someone who left a mark.
And in Golden State, that mark won’t be forgotten.