Everyone knows the Los Angeles Lakers’ top target this summer is Kyrie Irving, but the team has also reportedly been interested in Indiana Pacers sharpshooter Buddy Hield.
The Lakers’ interest in Hield goes back to last summer when they were set to pull off a trade to acquire him, only to pivot and land Russell Westbrook instead.
According to Dave McMenamin, L.A. has “reengaged” in talks with Indiana to get Hield, possibly for Westbrook.
Via Lakers Daily:
“The Los Angeles reportedly have reengaged with the Indiana Pacers in trade talks surrounding sharpshooter Buddy Hield.
“‘There has been some talks reengaged between the Lakers and the Indiana Pacers,’ said Dave McMenamin of ESPN. ‘Now that would center around a Buddy Hield deal and could be a deal that could include Russell Westbrook if you’re also talking about having Myles Turner in that deal. Or perhaps it could be a secondary move where you would be talking about a Talen Horton-Tucker type of package to get Buddy Hield.'”
Although Hield is somewhat overrated by some Lakers fans, he is the type of accurate, high-volume 3-point shooter the team could really use.
Hield, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound shooting guard, has a career mark of 39.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc on 7.6 attempts per game.
A possible concern is that his 3-point accuracy fell to 36.2 percent this past season from 39.1 percent in the 2020-21 season.
But if the Lakers do not give up too much, especially in terms of draft compensation, to get Hield, and if they can mitigate his lackluster defense, he can certainly help them moving forward.
