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Buddy Hield during a March 14 game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Despite their efforts, the Los Angeles Lakers lost out on Buddy Hield in free agency. The career 40% three-point shooter agreed to a sign-and-trade to the Golden State Warriors.
Shams Charania, Mark Puleo, Anthony Slater, and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic reported on Hield’s spurning of the Lakers.
“Hield chose the Warriors because of the opportunity to win over other interested suitors, including the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers,” The Athletic staff reported on July 4.
Charania was first with reports of Hield’s sign-and-trade deal.
https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1808927751694659961
“The Golden State Warriors have agreed to a deal acquiring Buddy Hield via sign-and-trade from the 76ers, sources tell
@TheAthletic @Stadium,” Charania tweeted on July 4. “New teammates Hield and Stephen Curry are leaders for most 3-pointers made over the last 5 NBA seasons – and now will be teammates.”
Hield is coming off of his eighth NBA campaign. He started the season off with the Indiana Pacers before being dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers at the trade deadline.
Hield averaged 12.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game between 84 regular-season appearances last season.
Lakers Fell Short in Klay Thompson Pursuit
Los Angeles’ efforts to lure free agents this summer hasn’t panned out. In addition to Hield, the Lakers failed in their attempts to recruit Klay Thompson.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reported on the behind-the-scenes of Thompson’s free agency. And ultimately, why Los Angeles fell short.
“He had phone conversations with James and new Lakers coach JJ Redick that were all positive, league sources say, with Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka staying in touch with Lawrence, but the allure of the Lakers situation simply didn’t match what the Mavericks had to offer,” Amick wrote on July 3.
He ended up with the Dallas Mavericks by way of a three-year, $50 million deal and sign-and-trade with the Warriors.
Despite, as Amick reported, being reported a higher offer from the Lakers.
“League sources say a Lakers deal would have been far more lucrative,” Amick added. “With discussions about a four-year, $80 million deal for Thompson if they had been able to convince the Warriors to cooperate in a sign-and-trade that would have sent D’Angelo Russell back to the Warriors (or to a third team).”
Thompson is coming off of his 12th NBA campaign, all with Golden State. He averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.
What’s Next for the Lakers?
As of July 4, Los Angeles has yet to sign an outside free agent. And the field is slimming.
They’re turning their attention to the trade market, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
“They have been active in recent days, discussing potential deals with Portland, Brooklyn and Utah, among other teams, according to league and team sources,” Buha wrote on July 2.
As well as a potential sign-and-trade for Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan.
“After missing out on Thompson, the Lakers quickly turned their attention to another James target: free-agent wing DeMar DeRozan,” Buha wrote. “Similar to Thompson, DeRozan, 34, is both a potential non-taxpayer midlevel exception candidate and a sign-and-trade candidate for Los Angeles, according to league sources.”
But on a July 2 episode of the “#ThisLeague Uncut Podcast” with Marc Stein, insider Chris Haynes said those talks aren’t going well.
“I would consider it frozen,” Haynes said on the podcast. “Antarctica.”
DeRozan is coming off of his 15th NBA campaign, and third with the Bulls. He averaged 24 points, 5.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 79 regular-season appearances last season.
The presences of Anthony Davis and LeBron James alone command a better roster than the Lakers are currently boasting.
Some sort of move will be made ahead of next season. Running it back isn’t an option. The only question is when? And for who?
Collin Loring covers the NBA, WNBA and MLB for Heavy.com, where he has been a contributor since 2021. His sports coverage has also been featured at FanSided, Elite Sports NY and The Strickland. More about Collin Loring
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