Buddy Hield DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Golden State Warriors guard/forward Buddy Hield finished Tuesday's 99-89 win in Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves as the leading scorer in the contest, putting up 24 points on 7-for-19 shooting. Hield initially struggled to hit shots, but he stepped up for the Warriors after Stephen Curry (hamstring) exited the game. He was only two rebounds short of a double-double, dished out three assists, and snagged one steal while hitting 5-for-8 from downtown. After combining for only four points in Games 5 and 6 against the Houston Rockets, Hield has exploded for 57 points across two outings, sinking 14 attempts from three-point range. With Curry potentially missing more time, the Warriors are set to rely more on Hield offensively moving forward.

Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield (illness) is available for Monday's matchup with the Orlando Magic. The veteran isn't feeling well. Fortunately, the illness won't force him to miss his first game of the 2024-25 campaign. Hield is hard to trust from a fantasy standpoint. But he had 13 points while shooting 3-for-5 from deep in Friday's loss to the Phoenix Suns, so fantasy managers hope he'll keep it going on Monday night. However, Hield could have a tough time getting that done versus an Orlando squad that has allowed 105.4 points per game this season, the second-best average in the NBA.

According to Evan Sidery of Forbes Sports, impending free agent guard/forward Buddy Hield is expected to draw "strong interest" from teams this offseason, with the Bucks, Magic, Suns, and Timberwolves the favorites to acquire his talents. After inking a four-year, $94 million contract with the Kings in 2020-21, Hield was dealt to Indiana before eventually ending up in Philadelphia for the 2023-24 campaign. While Hield had some solid performances, he struggled overall by averaging 12.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while shooting 38.9% from deep. Fortunately, the 2016 No. 6 overall pick could turn things around with a new club, meaning he has a good chance to bounce back for fantasy managers in 2024-25.