The final outcome of February's mid-season trade between the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks is yet to fully materialize, with a twist likely to be added as rumors mount over a Buddy Hield move before opening night next month.
The Warriors sent out Hield and Jonathan Kuminga for Kristaps Porzingis before the deadline in a move that currently appears in their favor, but could work out for the Hawks if they manage to flip the veteran sharpshooter for Charlotte Hornets wing Dorian Finney-Smith.
Hawks trying to trade former Warrior Buddy Hield for Dorian Finney-Smith
According to NBA insider Marc Stein on Sunday night, Atlanta and Charlotte have engaged in discussions over the framework of a trade after Hield's partially guaranteed contract was fully guaranteed prior to free agency.
"Atlanta and Charlotte, league sources say, have engaged in on-and-off trade discussions at various points this month on trade frameworks that would feature the Hornets' Dorian Finney-Smith and the Hawks' Buddy Hield," Stein wrote. "League sources say that the Hawks have been exploring potential trades that include Hield's $9.7 million salary all summer."
Given his lack of impact and place outside the Hawks rotation after the trade, it was somewhat surprising that Hield's contract was guaranteed and it painted a clear picture that a trade was on the horizon. Atlanta declined the $24.3 million team option on Kuminga who's since signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the Warriors extended Porzingis on a two-year, $40 million contract prior to free agency.
The Hawks' inability to execute a trade to this point is proof that finding a suitor for Hield has been problematic, but replacing him with Finney-Smith could still prove a major update that turns the tables on a trade that the Warriors have won to this point.
Hornets would need draft assets in Hield-Finney-Smith trade
It will be fascinating to see what the final structure of a deal is given Finney-Smith would surely hold more trade value, not to mention he makes nearly $5 million more than Hield this upcoming season.
Finney-Smith is coming off a horror, injury-plagued season with the Houston Rockets, but he did average 8.7 points and 3.9 rebounds on 41.1% 3-point shooting with the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets during the previous season.
The 33-year-old can at least point to injuries for his poor year last season, while Hield has been incredibly durable through his career but saw his minutes diminish anyway due simply to a lack of on-court impact. Finney-Smith's last two years of his contract are non-guaranteed, reducing the risk for the Hawks if they do complete a trade.
While the Warriors will enter the season with Porzingis as their starting center and one of the more important players on the team, the Hawks have got nothing but 16 games from Kuminga. That could change if they can move the unwanted Hield for a genuine rotation piece in Finney-Smith.
