The Warriors may not be done seeing the effects of February’s trade with Atlanta, because Buddy Hield could be the piece that sends the whole thing in a different direction before opening night.
Golden State’s deadline deal sent Hield and Jonathan Kuminga to the Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis, and at the moment that swap looks like a win for the Warriors. But that picture could shift if Atlanta can turn Hield into Charlotte wing Dorian Finney-Smith.
On Sunday night, NBA insider Marc Stein reported that Atlanta and Charlotte have been talking about a trade framework built around Hield and Finney-Smith. Stein wrote: "Atlanta and Charlotte, league sources say, have engaged in on-and-off trade discussions at various points this month on trade frameworks that would feature the Hornets' Dorian Finney-Smith and the Hawks' Buddy Hield," Stein wrote. "League sources say that the Hawks have been exploring potential trades that include Hield's $9.7 million salary all summer."
Hield’s contract being fully guaranteed before free agency made it clear a move was possible, especially since he didn’t make much of an impact and was outside Atlanta’s rotation after the trade. The Hawks had already declined Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option, and he has since signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Golden State, meanwhile, extended Porzingis on a two-year, $40 million deal before free agency.
Atlanta’s trouble finding a taker for Hield says plenty about how hard it has been to move him. Still, if the Hawks can land Finney-Smith, the trade landscape changes fast and the Warriors’ early edge could shrink.
There’s also a financial wrinkle here. Finney-Smith would almost certainly carry more trade value, and he is set to make nearly $5 million more than Hield this season. He also comes with less risk, since his final two years are non-guaranteed.
Finney-Smith is coming off a rough, injury-hit season with the Houston Rockets, but the year before that he put up 8.7 points and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 41.1% from 3-point range with the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets.
The contrast with Hield is part of the appeal for Atlanta. Finney-Smith can point to injuries for last season’s struggles, while Hield has stayed durable throughout his career but still saw his minutes cut because his play wasn’t giving the Hawks enough.
For now, Golden State is set to open with Porzingis as its starting center and one of the team’s key players, while Atlanta has gotten just 16 games from Kuminga. That number could still change if the Hawks finally turn Hield into a rotation piece in Finney-Smith.
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