3 Raptors trade targets on rebuilding Eastern Conference teams

1. Buddy Hield, Indiana Pacers

Someone, please save this man! Hield was putting up solid numbers in Sacramento during the prime of his career, but the trade he was angling for sent him to perhaps an even worse situation in Indiana. The Pacers need to rebuild, and Toronto has the players they need in a trade.

Hield averaged 18.2 points per game on 45/36/89 shooting splits with the Pacers. While he is not and likely never will be a good defender in this league, he is the spitting image of the instant offense that the Raptors have been searching for in the last two years.

Buddy Hield could be a lethal scorer for the Toronto Raptors.

Hield will make less than $22 million in each of the next two seasons. While that is a substantial investment for a player that is a huge negative on the defensive end, it’s generally regarded as chump change for a proven scorer and shooter at this level. Hield will be on a contender soon.

Hield might be a bit of a risk, as Indiana will likely require a first-round pick with no protections and most of Toronto’s current bench. If Hield’s price can be slightly negotiated down to somewhere more doable for Toronto, Ujiri might be in a position to pull the trigger and bring him up north.