NBA sharpshooter Buddy Hield has just become the newest member of the Golden State Warriors. Apparently, when given the choice between the Warriors, or LeBron James and the Lakers, he chose the former with his top priority being winning a ring.
“Hield chose the Warriors because of the opportunity to win over other interested suitors, including the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers,” wrote Shams Charania of The Athletic. “After losing Thompson, the Warriors were in desperate search for a high-volume shooter who could open up the floor a bit more in some of their lineup combinations. That’s Hield’s specialty. Since 2017, the only player to make more 3-pointers than Hield is his new teammate, Steph Curry.”
As an elite shooter and capable ball-handler, Buddy Hield is the kind of player who can raise the ceiling for many teams in the league. Last season, while not his best, Hield still showed what he could do on the perimeter with an average of 12.1 points per game on 38.6% shooting from three.
After acquiring Paul George, the 76ers immediately looked for a new home for Hield and they let him pick his next destination via a sign-and-trade agreement. Between the Pistons, Lakers, and Warriors, he went with the Warriors in order to team up with Stephen Curry and pursue a title.
Notably, the 25-year-old chose against joining the Lakers despite being linked to them for years now. While the rejection itself is not a big deal for the Lakers, Hield makes up a growing list of people who have recently turned down a chance to join the Purple and Gold. That is extremely unusual for a franchise predicated on being the top destination for stars and free agents.
Over the past two months alone, the Lakers have been rejected by Hield, UConn Men’s coach Dan Hurley, former NBA coach of the year Dwane Casey, 76ers star Paul George, and 4x champion Klay Thompson. The Lakers have tried and failed to recruit so many coaches and players that it’s getting hard to keep track.
With the 2024 offseason still in its early stages, the Lakers have time to make some moves before the start of next season but it’s hard to see them doing anything that moves the needle at this point.
The acquisitions of JJ Redick, Bronny James, and Dalton Knect (who may be the steal of the draft) this summer means that the offseason was not a total wash for the Lake Show, but it’s surely not enough for them to make any kind of noise in the West.
Now, with a growing list of rejections, there is a sense that nobody wants to be a part of this crumbling empire. Times are changing for the franchise and if they don’t find a way to regain their previous allure, it’s going to be hard for them to accomplish their goals in the West.
For now, it’s back to the drawing board for Rob Pelinka as he attempts to build a team capable of contending with 39-year-old LeBron James at the helm. If they don’t find some new players soon, however, it will be more of the same for this Lakers team, which has been on the decline since 2020.
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