Trae Young endorses $21 million guard's fit with Steph Curry amid hot preseason run
Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young gave his endorsement of Buddy Hield's fit with Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. Young's reaction came during the Warriors' 111-97 victory over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Hield, currently on a three-year, $21 million contract, joined the Warriors in the offseason after Klay Thompson moved to the Dallas Mavericks. Hield has delivered standout performances in five preseason games with his new team.
Trae Young was the latest to commend the former Indiana Pacers guard for his impressive play for a franchise that holds championship aspirations.
"Buddy fits perfectly with the warriors!" Young wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Hield finally cooled off with a tough shooting night against the Lakers after his hot streak in the first four preseason games. The veteran guard tallied 10 points in 21 minutes, shooting 4-of-13 from the field, including 2-of-9 from three-point range.
In the previous four games, Hield had been on fire, shooting an impressive 59.1% from beyond the arc, making 13 of his 22 attempts from deep.
Buddy Hield to play the "6th man" role for Golden State
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he intends to utilize Buddy Hield as a key player off the bench, rather than placing him in the starting lineup alongside Steph Curry. Kerr's plan is for Hield to take on the scoring responsibilities during stretches when Curry is resting on the bench.
"He looks the part, doesn’t he? He comes off the bench, and you can feel his impact immediately. He’s not shy, and we need that," Kerr told reporters after the Warriors' 111-93 win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
Hield, who has played for four different teams before joining the Warriors this offseason, has never won an NBA championship. The veteran guard acknowledged that Golden State offered him the best opportunity to secure a ring in his nine-year NBA career.
"When you have guys like Steph and Draymond and a coach like Steve Kerr and Wiggins, I think they are always in championship mode and you can't count them out," Hield said on the Warriors' media day. "Being part of this team, something special can happen."
Hield is set to play one final preseason game before starting his regular season journey with the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 23. The veteran guard will take the court on Oct. 18 when the Warriors face the Lakers in their last preseason game.