by Dustin Dopirak
NDIANAPOLIS — Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan acknowledged Tuesday that contract extension discussions with veteran guard Buddy Hield are “at a halt,” but indicated that they could re-start and said that the Pacers are not in a rush to trade him.
Hield, who finished second in the NBA in 3-pointers last season and set a Pacers franchise record with 288, is in the final year of a four-year, $94 million deal and is due $19.2 million this season. The Athletic reported last week that contract extension talks between the two sides broke down and they had begun a dialogue about finding a trade to move him. At a previously scheduled press conference Tuesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to usher in the upcoming season, Buchanan did not dispute the report but indicated that Hield will still be with the team when training camp begins next week.
“Buddy is somebody that we love having on our team,” Buchanan said. “We want him on our team this year. The business of basketball comes into play at times. We’ve had talks with him about an extension. Those talks are at a halt, I’d say, right now, but that’s not to say that they’re done. We’d like to have Buddy with us. We have no intention of trying to move Buddy. But it’s also our job to listen if opportunities come to help us improve the team. That’s what we have to do as a front office. Our intention is to have Buddy on the team this year and have him be a big part of our group.”
Despite the halting of those negotiations, Buchanan said he expected to see a fully engaged version of Hield when camp begins Tuesday, even if he ultimately does decide he wants to leave Indiana.
“Buddy loves being a Pacer,” Buchanan said. “Buddy loves playing basketball, wherever he’s at. I think he wants to be in a situation where he’s going to be somewhere long-term, which all players do. It has to be the right situation for both the team and for Buddy, both playing and contract-wise. I think Buddy is going to come in and be professional and be excited to be part of this team. He loves being part of this group. He loves playing with coach Rick (Carlisle.) He and Tyrese (Haliburton) obviously have a connection together. He’s going to come in and play well and we’ll see what happens moving forward with him and the team.”
Buchanan didn’t offer any details as to what the Pacers offered Hield and what he was hoping for, but part of the discussion is also the Pacers’ long-term vision for Hield’s role. Hield started 73 of the 80 games he appeared in last season, averaging 16.8 points per game on 13.0 field goal attempts per game including 8.5 3-pointers.
He might not have a starting role this season and going forward, however, as the Pacers look to move Bennedict Mathurin into the starting lineup after using him mostly as a sixth man in his rookie season. The 21-year-old Mathurin is coming off one of the best rookie seasons ever by a Pacers player, his 1,302 total points ranking third among Pacers rookies in history, so they’re looking to increase his level of responsibility. The Pacers also acquired guard Bruce Brown in free agency. Brown isn’t the scorer or shooter that Hield is, but he’s a much better defender. That might force Hield into the second unit.
Hield is one of several players who could see their minutes cut thanks to the additions of Brown and forward Obi Toppin, as well as the drafting of Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard.
“In (Hield’s) exit meeting (in April), we talked about how his role could be different moving forward,” Buchanan said. “Benn’s development is important to the future of this franchise. It’s not going to happen instantly. Finding the right sweet spot for coach Carlisle and roles, minutes for Bruce, for Buddy, for Benn, for (Andrew Nembhard) for T.J. (McConnell), that’s gonna be challenging. I think we all see that. The players see that. The coaches see that. You guys all see that. But ultimately, it has to be earned on the court.”
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star