Former 76ers sharpshooter catches fire in Warriors debut

Over the summer, the Philadelphia 76ers decided to move away from sharpshooter Buddy Hield in a sign-and-trade, sending the veteran to the Golden State Warriors.

Throughout the preseason, Hield showed impressive shots and did what he does best. During the veteran's official regular season debut with Golden State, Hield caught fire on the field in limited playing time against the Portland Trail Blazers.

On Wednesday evening, Hield came off the bench for a 15-minute shift. He shot eight times from the field, seven of which came from outside the arc.

Hield knocked down all but two of his three-pointers. He finished the game 8-10 from the field and scored 22 points.

Despite coming off the bench, Hield led the Warriors in scoring against the Blazers. Andrew Wiggins was second on the team, scoring 20 points in 23 minutes. Meanwhile, Stephen Curry managed a quiet double-double, scoring 17 points and 10 assists and one rebound short of a double-double.

The Warriors dominated the Trail Blazers 139-104 to move to 1-0 on the year. For veteran Hield, it was a great first impression of his new team.

Last season, Hield had to make his first impression with the Philadelphia 76ers in February. After starting another season with the Indiana Pacers, Hield entered his contract year knowing that a trade could be in the cards if an extension didn't come through.

In fact, Hield was dealt to the Sixers at the 2024 trade deadline. Initially, the Sixers saw a potential long-term complement to Hield. Over time the narrative changed.

Hield would finish the 2023-2024 regular season with 32 games played. He scored 12 points per game while shooting 39 percent from three. When the Sixers made the playoffs, Hield didn't play a consistent role in Nick Nurse's rotation. He appeared in four of six games and was on the field for 13 minutes per game.

The veteran left Philadelphia in free agency due to a lack of interest. Still, the Sixers helped make a trade possible by signing Hield and sending him to the Warriors, resulting in a six-team deal. Over the next four seasons, Hield could earn over $37 million with the Warriors.