For the second time in a week, veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield has been traded.
Charlotte, which acquired Hield on Tuesday in the Dorian Finney-Smith trade, has now moved him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Rob Dillingham and cash, a trade both teams confirmed Sunday morning.
The cash in the trade covers that Hield makes $2.8 million more than Dillingham this season. Hield is set to make $9.7 million this season, but only $3.1 million of his potential $10.1 million for next season is guaranteed. Dillingham, entering his third NBA season, is on his rookie contract and will make $6.9 million this season, and the Bulls can choose to pick up his $8.8 million option for next season.
Chicago adds a veteran shooter to a roster that could use more floor spacing. Last season, in 51 games between Golden State and Atlanta, Hield averaged 7.6 points per game while shooting 34.9% from 3-point range (the lowest percentage of his career, for which he has averaged 39.5%).
Charlotte still has 17 players on its roster heading into camp and will have to cut a couple of players before the start of the season — this trade saves the Hornets money under the cap for the salaries they may have to eat (something they already did with Ryan Nembhard). Dillingham could be one of the players waived.
Dillingham, 21, was the No. 8 pick of the Spurs in 2024 and was traded to Minnesota on draft night with the hope that he would develop into the replacement at point guard for the aging Mike Connolly. That didn’t work as either side hoped, and Dillingham was traded to Chicago near the deadline last season, and now the Bulls have moved on from him, too. In his two NBA seasons, Dillingham has averaged 5.5 points and 2.1 assists per game, shooting 32.4% from 3-point range.
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