It was the NBA’s very own version of a buddy sitcom. Literally.
Buddy Hield and six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler played together for a season-and-a-half in Golden State, trading hugs and barbs like two long-lost brothers.
Enough so that the Warriors even did a team video describing the relationship between the two last year at this time.
“How would I describe Buddy and Jimmy’s friendship?” veteran Draymond Green said. “It’s a funny one.”
“There’s never a dull day or moment around Jimmy and Buddy,” Steph Curry explained. “There’s so much love, but they are like long-lost brothers that have, you know, rekindled the flame.”
Coach Steve Kerr described the two as an 80’s buddy-cop movie, trading insults and jabs but “clearly out of love.”
A side show that played well in Golden State until it didn’t.
The undersized Warriors needed length so sent Hield and Jonathan Kuminga to Atlanta for 7-foot-2 Kristaps Porzingis at the February deadline, cancelling the show.
That doesn’t mean, however, there can’t be a solo project.
Hield was moved to Charlotte and then last week joined his seventh NBA team when the Bulls acquired him for Rob Dillingham. Of course Butler’s name came up in his first presser, especially since Butler began his NBA career with Hield’s latest franchise.
“Nah, I didn’t call Jimmy,” Hield said, not missing a beat when asked about receiving Chicago advice from his former teammate. “Jimmy don’t know nothing about Chicago (laugh). You can’t trust him with Chicago. You’re never going to trust him.”
When it was asked if Butler could be trusted anywhere, Hield said, “See, exactly. I’m not going to call Jimmy about Chicago. I’m going to trust you guys (the media) right here.”
Not a bad pilot episode.
How can Hield make it even better, especially as far as the Bulls were concerned? Do what he always does and hit long-range shots.
Since being drafted No. 6 overall in 2016, all Hield has done is put up a career-39.5% from three-point range, topping 40% in four different seasons. Team that with veteran Norman Powell, and all of a sudden the roster has two proven floor spacers.
“I like good threes,” coach Tiago Splitter said of Hield’s role. “You’re open, shoot it. When you surround your team with gravity like those guys (Hield and Powell), it opens it up for Caleb (Wilson), Matas (Buzelis) to get to the paint, for Nic (Claxton), for Tre (Jones), Josh (Giddey) – they’re all going to play in the paint.”
There’s also an element of leadership that Hield brings to a young roster, especially coming from the Warriors.
“I take a lot of pride in that because I’ve learned from a lot of vets, and me mentoring the younger guys that’s my job,” Hield said. “Help Caleb, Matas and Josh get to where they need to get, support them in the fullest so we can get to the next level.”
When asked which players most influenced him, yeah, it was a short list, but also one that included Butler and with no one-liner.
“Draymond of course was one of the bigger ones, and Steph and Jimmy, and in Philly I had Joel (Embiid), but my last stop in Golden State really helped me a lot with Steph, Dray, Jimmy, and Steve Kerr, they helped me a lot professionally, especially when things aren’t going my way, how to still be a big impact,” Hield said.
Considering the Bulls have three projected starters 23 or younger, any veteran leadership will be welcomed.
“He’s been around this league, he knows what it takes,” Splitter added of Hield. “He’s been around championship teams. He’s a guy that can get a bucket, he can score. Of course, we need the shooting piece and we’ll go from there.”
