Part of Tyrese Haliburton’s move to match Domantas Sabonis’ salary, 29-year-old Buddy Hield is embarking on a new chapter in his career. Extended at a high price by the Kings in the fall of 2019 ($94 million over four years), the rear had a turbulent end to its adventure in California.
Between the tensions publicly exposed with Vlade Divac (before the latter’s departure), the dismissal of Luke Walton, with whom he was not always in agreement either, and quite simply the bad sports results, the one who had joined the Kings in February 2017 finally left them through the back door.
” It was a change that I needed” thus confessed the Bahamian. ” It’s business. I’m happy to be here, grateful for this new opportunity, and ready to work. Indiana is a basketball loving state, the fans are great, I know how passionate they are. My last three or four months in Sacramento, it didn’t go as I would have liked. But this is a new opportunity. I was expecting it. “
Holder from his debut with the Pacers, in the absence of Malcolm Brogdon, the rear was quick to expose his attacking qualities to his new fans. After two complicated first matches (6/17 then 6/19), he caught fire for his third outing with his new club, this night against the Bucks. Despite the defeat, the seventh in a row for the Pacers, he shone and finished with 36 points (14/20), 2 rebounds and 4 assists.
” I just want to do what I do best, shoot and give opportunities to my teammates he explained a few hours before the meeting. ” It’s a new opportunity, to find a new place that I can call home, where I can start from scratch.“
It now remains to be seen whether the Pacers, who have started reconstruction mode, intend to build their future with the back, or whether he will, probably like Malcolm Brogdon, have to pack his bags. Answer next summer…
| Buddy Hield | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2016-17* | All Teams | 82 | 23 | 42.6 | 39.1 | 84.2 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 10.6 |
| 2016-17* | NOP | 57 | 20 | 39.3 | 36.9 | 87.9 | 0.3 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 8.6 |
| 2016-17* | BAG | 25 | 29 | 48.0 | 42.8 | 81.4 | 0.6 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 0.1 | 15.1 |
| 2017-18 | BAG | 80 | 25 | 44.6 | 43.1 | 87.7 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 13.5 |
| 2018-19 | BAG | 82 | 32 | 45.8 | 42.7 | 88.6 | 1.3 | 3.7 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 20.7 |
| 2019-20 | BAG | 72 | 31 | 42.9 | 39.4 | 84.6 | 0.8 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 19.2 |
| 2020-21 | BAG | 71 | 34 | 40.6 | 39.1 | 84.6 | 0.4 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 16.6 |
| 2021-22 * | All Teams | 57 | 29 | 38.0 | 36.1 | 86.0 | 0.8 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 14.4 |
| 2021-22 * | BAG | 55 | 29 | 38.2 | 36.8 | 87.0 | 0.8 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 14.4 |
| 2021-22 * | IND | 2 | 40 | 33.3 | 21.7 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 7.0 | 8.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 14.5 |
| Total | 444 | 29 | 42.8 | 39.9 | 86.2 | 0.7 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 15.8 | |
