The Pacers envision shooting guard Buddy Hield being a major part of their plans this season, despite the ongoing contract extension saga, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
The Heat are not among the teams with trade interest, Jackson added.
Hield and the Pacers have been at a standstill on contract negotiations, with rumors of a potential Hield trade swirling as Indiana prepares to enter training camp. Things no longer seem to be moving in that direction, however.
“Buddy is somebody that we love having on our team,” GM Chad Buchanan said, via Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “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.”
Hield is in the final year of his deal at $19.2 million and is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. He has not requested a trade.
“I love Buddy,” Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said in April. “There’s some things that he does that’s not on the court, the way he keeps practice light.”
Hield, 30, averaged 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and shot 43 percent on 3-pointers in 80 games last season.
Looking for the latest NBA Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow Hoops Wire on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NBA News and Rumors for all 30 teams!
