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Golden State Warriors Guard Buddy Hield says he’s open to the possibility of being traded before Thursday NBA trade deadline, with his name attached to a potential blockbuster move involving Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Hield, who joined the Warriors last summer, acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the deadline but said he views any potential move as part of the league’s business.
“What happens, happens. I’m grateful to have the job,” Hield said, via NBC Sports. “All I know is that whoever gets traded, another team wants you, and I’m going to do my best to stay with that team.”
If Hield is moved, it will be the fourth time he has been traded during the season. He was also dealt from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Sacramento Kings in February 2017, the Kings to the Indiana Pacers in February 2022, and the Pacers to the Philadelphia 76ers at the 2024 trade deadline.
The Warriors acquired him from Philadelphia in July 2024 as part of a sign-and-trade.
The 31-year-old said his outlook on the trade has changed since moving on from Indiana, where he believes he is a core part of the franchise alongside Tyrese Halliburton.
“I think after Indiana, it was just the business of basketball,” Hield said. “It is what it is. You can’t really be mad at it. You have your tenure in the league and then it’s either one year or you’re traded the next year, trying to figure it out.”
Hield added that veteran players frequently move around the league as a sign of value.
“When you get bigger in the league, things like this happen,” he said. “Trying to see how tall you are.”
Not everyone in the Warriors camp is so relaxed about the situation. Head coach Steve Kerr acknowledged that trade speculation has left some parts of the roster shaky as the deadline approaches.
“We have a lot of guys on the edge on our team,” Kerr said. “It feels different. Every deadline feels a little different depending on the circumstances. We’re in a weird spot now with Jimmy’s injury that has thrown everybody for a loop. It seems like it’s a little bit harder this year and there are more possibilities, and as a result, we have a lot of guys up front on our team.”
Multiple reports have indicated that Golden State is willing to include all of their draft assets and any player other than Stephen Curry in a potential trade for Antetokounmpo. That list includes Draymond Green, who has long been viewed as a cornerstone of the franchise.
Kerr confirmed that he had spoken to Green about the situation.
“Draymond and I have talked,” Kerr said. “What’s really hard for him is that this is the only place he’s ever known. He’s going to have a statue outside the building someday. It’s a really weird situation for him because there’s never really been a time in his entire career where he’s had to think about wearing another jersey.”
