Pacers agree to two deals at the deadline: Buddy Hield to 76ers; Doug McDermott and Furkan Korkmaz incoming
Pacers agree to two deals at the deadline: Buddy Hield to 76ers; Doug McDermott and Furkan Korkmaz incoming
Buddy Hield is being traded to Philadelphia after two seasons in Indy. The Pacers are bringing back Doug McDermott to help fill the void.
The Indiana Pacers front office agreed to multiple deals on Thursday before the 3 p.m. ET trade deadline.
It all centered around sharpshooter Buddy Hield, as I outlined in my preview piece. He’s in the final year of his contract, they were far apart in extension talk before the season and he’s seen his role decrease recently.
To receive compensation for a player who planned to go elsewhere in the offseason and to grant Hield’s desire to play a larger role on a playoff team, the Pacers first reached agreement with the Philadelphia 76ers to acquire Marcus Morris Jr. ($17.1 million), Furkan Korkmaz ($5.4 million) and two second-round picks.
Korkmaz was drafted by the 76ers 26th overall in 2016. He’s 26 years old and from Turkey. The 6-foot-7 guard can handle the ball and shoot (35% this season from beyond the arc), but his role declined over the last two seasons.
But Korkmaz will never be with the team; the Pacers plan to waive him.
As for Hield, he joins a roster that was a second-tier team in the Eastern Conference until Joel Embiid’s recent injury, which required a procedure. It’s unclear if or when he’ll return this season, but the 76ers are holding out hope and this deal reflects that. The 76ers rank 26th in 3-point attempts (31.4) so Hield helps with shooting and in opening things up for All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey and others.
“I spoke to him earlier today,” head coach Rick Carlisle said Thursday before the Pacers hosted the Golden State Warriors. “I thanked him for two great years. He was grateful to the organization for accepting him and giving him a great opportunity here.”
After the first deal, it seemed likely that another one was on deck. Otherwise, the trade felt incomplete and would not go over well in the locker room considering the roster’s quest to reach the postseason.