Much was made of Klay Thompson’s departure from Golden State during the 2024 offseason—and rightfully so. But perhaps not enough was made of the arrival of Buddy Hield in Golden State. Hield arrived during the offseason via a sign-and-trade and was coming off a 2023-2024 campaign that was far from his best. Splitting time between the Pacers and Sixers, Hield averaged a ho-hum 12.1 ppg. Additionally, most people’s last memory of Hield during the 2023-2024 season was him struggling to even get off the bench for the Sixers during the playoffs.
Nevertheless, eight games into the 2024-2025 season, Buddy Hield looks renewed. In a sizable reserve role, Hield has looked motivated and dialed in on a nightly basis. The Warriors’ current 7-1 pace may be slightly unsustainable, but with Hield playing the way he is right now, their eventual comedown may not be all that drastic. If one thing has become clear for the Warriors during the early going, it’s that their depth is for real. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the Warriors could realistically be playing 13 guys a night. With Hield posting career highs in ppg—21.9—and three-point%—50.7—to act as the head of the snake of the Warriors’ second unit, there could be some hardware on the way for the former sixth overall pick. That is, as long as he doesn’t eventually prove to be too effective to continue coming off the bench.
Warriors’ Offseason Addition Buddy Hield Continues to Make Sixth Man of the Year Case
Buddy Hield’s Impact
Despite the Celtics being without both Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis, the Warriors still found themselves as significant underdogs on the road in TD Garden. Thanks in part to a big-time performance from Stephen Curry and Buddy Hield, however, the Warriors still managed to get the win. Overcoming sizable odds has become sort of a theme for the Warriors through the first month and change of the season. The steady play of Hield has been a leading factor in allowing the Warriors to do so. Just take Steph Curry’s most recent three-game absence, for example. During that three-game stretch, the Warriors continued their strong play on their way to a perfect 3-0 record. During that same stretch, Hield stepped up in a big way, upping his scoring average to 25.3 ppg.
Against Boston, with Curry back in the lineup, Hield’s performance was paramount to the Warriors ultimately securing the win. Despite the Warriors narrowly escaping with a 118-112 victory, Hield was a whopping team-best +20 during his 29 minutes off the bench. Hield’s dynamic perimeter shooting and off-the-dribble scoring may not dwell in the same dimension as Curry’s, but it still deserves heaps of praise. The offensive spacing that Hield provides does wonders for the Warriors—whether Curry is on the floor or not. Add on the fact that Hield has routinely stepped up and hit big shots in the clutch—as he did against the Celtics—and Steve Kerr may have found a permanent mainstay in closing lineups.
The Last Word
While it is true that Hield has struggled with inconsistency at different points throughout his career—such is the life of an NBA shooting specialist—no one player is currently better positioned to challenge for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award. It’s early, but amid a career year and playing for a team that looks capable of challenging for a top-four seed in the West, Hield has to be on the short list of leading candidates to take home the Sixth Man of the Year award.
While other potential Sixth Man of the Year candidates like Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, and Malik Monk have all been solid, no one has separated themselves from the pack quite like Buddy Hield. Hield is currently the second-leading scorer on a team currently tied for first place in the Western Conference. As a result, if the season ended today, Hield would likely be taking home some hardware. While Hield’s early season exploits have been impressive, there is still a long road ahead to finality. All that is to say, given the Warriors’ lack of a true number two option besides Curry, expecting Hield to continue putting up career-best numbers may not be all that far-fetched.
