Lakers reportedly had chance to trade for Buddy Hield, passed

Buddy Hield and the Lakers have been connected in trade rumors so many times that you almost expect him to eventually wind up there by accident.

Well, it appears, they had another chance. Specifically, L.A. had an opportunity to acquire Hield in a consolidation trade this offseason but elected not to pursue the deal, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.

Hield eventually took the scenic route elsewhere. The veteran sharpshooter was traded from the Hawks to the Hornets and then from Charlotte to the Bulls. Meanwhile, the Lakers still have the same roster problem they were trying to solve: 16 guaranteed players and only 15 available regular-season spots.

They have explored some two-for-one possibilities “quite a bit,” per Siegel, with Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy among the most logical players to move.

So why pass on Hield? Presumably, the Lakers simply preferred their existing options or didn’t like the price. Hield remains one of the NBA’s most prolific 3-point shooters, but he’s also 33 and wouldn’t necessarily address Los Angeles’ bigger needs.

Besides, the Lakers have been down the Hield road before. They nearly acquired him from Sacramento years ago before pivoting to Russell Westbrook. His name surfaced again in subsequent trade talks.

At this point, Hield-to-the-Lakers isn’t really a trade rumor. It’s an NBA tradition.