Examining the role for Cavs potential trade target Buddy Hield

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Buddy Hield, Sacramento Kings. (Photo by Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports) /

With the NBA trade deadline approaching, fans across the league have done their fair share of speculating about potential deals that could be made. The Cleveland Cavaliers briefly dipped into the trade market earlier this season with a deal that brought in two-time NBA champion Rajon Rondo from the Los Angeles Lakers.

While Rondo was a decent get for the Cavs, especially losing veteran backup guard Ricky Rubio to a season-ending injury against the New Orleans Pelicans, this team must continue the search for additional pieces to bring on the roster. That’s specifically when it comes to creating more depth at the guard spot.

Rumors surrounding the Sacramento Kings have indicated that a few of their players could potentially be moved before the deadline. With the possibility of the Kings hoping to build around a guard rotation of De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, and rookie Davion Mitchell – it would seem that sharpshooter Buddy Hield will not be calling Sacramento home for very long. Fox himself has been a key player mentioned in possible trades too, though, anyway.

In relation to Hield, while I’m certainly loving the direction the Cavs are trending in, I cannot deny the teams here out East are extremely competitive. Realistically, this Cavaliers team has a good chance to make it to the playoffs, but beyond that, I cannot be certain. Throw Buddy Hield in the mix, and those uncertainties start to change.

Hield is a guy that can come in and compliment this Cavs team right away. The 29-year-old wing could be the player that pushes Cleveland into the next tier of playoff contention. Initially the Cavs ceiling was said to be a possible appearance in the play-in tournament, but with them now at fourth place in the Eastern Conference, this team seems to have the league on notice for a spot in the playoffs.

Throughout this piece we will examine how Hield as a potential trade target could fit in with this up-and-coming Cavaliers team. That’s with a hypothetical deal framework say involving Ricky Rubio’s expiring contract, salary filler such as Dylan Windler and a lottery-protected first-round pick for Cleveland in 2022. That’s with Cleveland taking on Hield’s future compensation as well, and the Cavs would stay out of luxury tax territory still in that hypothetical.