“Puts the Fear of God Into Other Teams”: 76ers GM Issues Stern Warning on “Best Player” Buddy Hield After Trade Deadline Addition

The NBA mid-season trade window came to a close last night. While the fans expected some big moves on the final day, the February 8 trade deadline was not very star-studded. Arguably the biggest name to get traded was the Indiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield. The Philadelphia 76ers acquired Buddy Hield in a three-team deal with the Pacers and the San Antonio Spurs. Philly had to give up Furkan Korkmaz, Marcus Morris, and 3 second-round picks to acquire the veteran sharpshooter.

One day after the big move, Sixers President Daryl Morey claimed Buddy Hield was the “best player” to get traded at the deadline and had high praise for the former Pacers guard. “He puts the fear of God into other teams,” Morey said.

According to Morey, Hield is exactly what the Sixers need this season. He is a player who can decimate the defense in multiple ways with his shooting ability. Hield can shoot the ball in transition, off actions, and directly off the catch. Morey claimed Buddy would be a perfect fit alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Even though Buddy Hield’s performance has gone under the radar throughout his career, he is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league. He is averaging 12 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists this season, and shooting 38.4 percent from beyond the arc.

Buddy shot a whopping 42.5 percent from the three-point line last season. He could open up the floor for the Sixers offense and create more space for Embiid and Maxey to operate.

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Daryl Morey’s goal with the Buddy Hield trade

Although Buddy Hield could help the Sixers win games right now, Daryl Morey did not acquire him with that in mind. Morey added Hield to make the Sixers a more playoff-ready team. Joel Embiid is currently out of action and will miss nearly 6-8 weeks to recover from his knee surgery.

Buddy will play a key role when Embiid returns to the lineup. Morey believes a fully healthy Sixers roster with Buddy Hield in the lineup is as good as any other team in the NBA. He can help the Sixers get over the hump in the post-season and lead them to a Championship.

Morey claimed Buddy was the only player traded at the deadline who would play significant minutes for his new team in the post-season. The Sixers are currently 5th in the Eastern Conference standings with a 30-20 record. And it will be interesting to see what impact Buddy Hield has on the Sixers’ performance for the remainder of the season.

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