NBA trade news: Atlanta Hawks bid farewell to 6-foot-3 guard for Charlotte Hornets' Dorian Finney-Smith
Buddy Hield is on the move again, and this time the sharpshooting guard is landing in Charlotte. The Atlanta Hawks agreed to send Hield to the Hornets on Tuesday, along with young guard Ryan Nembhard, in exchange for veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith , according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
The deal marks the sixth trade of Hield's career and arrives just months after Atlanta acquired him from Golden State. For Charlotte, adding a proven floor spacer fills an obvious roster need heading into camp, even as questions linger over where he actually fits in Charles Lee's rotation.
Buddy Hield reportedly headed to Hornets in three-player deal as Hawks land Dorian Finney-SmithNBA insider Jake Fischer first flagged talks between the two sides on Sunday, and by Tuesday the framework had firmed up. "Buddy Hield and Ryan Nembhard to Charlotte, Dorian Finney-Smith to Atlanta," Fischer wrote, citing sources close to the negotiations. Marc Stein confirmed the same structure shortly after.
Atlanta also sent cash to Charlotte as part of the swap. The move created a $4.5 million trade exception for the Hornets and a $2.1 million exception for the Hawks, per ESPN's Bobby Marks. It's the sixth time Hield has changed teams since entering the league, a run that includes stints in Indiana, Sacramento, Philadelphia and a sign-and-trade detour to Golden State before Atlanta picked him up in February.
What each player brings to the dealHield averaged 7.6 points and 2.3 rebounds across 51 combined games with the Warriors and Hawks last season, shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from three. His accuracy actually improved after landing in Atlanta, where he hit 41.2 percent of his triples over seven games. He carries a $9.7 million cap number for 2026-27, with a $10.1 million player option the year after.
Nembhard, entering his second season, flashed real promise as a rookie, posting 6.6 points and 5.3 assists against just 1.4 turnovers a night for Dallas before Atlanta brought him in this summer. He's set to earn $2.2 million next season ahead of restricted free agency in 2027, though reports suggest Charlotte may waive him almost as soon as it lands him.
Finney-Smith walks into a new locker room after an injury-hit year in Houston, where ankle surgery delayed his season and limited him to 37 games. He shot just 33.3 percent from the field and 27 percent from three once he returned, well below his 35.9 percent career mark from deep. Still, his 44 playoff games give Atlanta a dose of postseason experience it didn't have.
Why the trade makes sense for both franchisesFor Atlanta, flipping a player who'd fallen out of the rotation for a forward capable of real minutes, if healthy, reads as a clean win. Hield hadn't cracked coach Quin Snyder's plans since Kristaps Porzingis arrived in February, so recovering any value counts as a good outcome.
Charlotte adds shooting depth and a familiar name for Eastern Conference defenses, even if a crowded wing group of Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller and newly acquired Grayson Allen leaves his playing time uncertain. Both sides open 2026-27 chasing bigger things in the East, with Atlanta coming off a 46-36 finish and Charlotte closing at 44-38 with a play-in win.
The deal marks the sixth trade of Hield's career and arrives just months after Atlanta acquired him from Golden State. For Charlotte, adding a proven floor spacer fills an obvious roster need heading into camp, even as questions linger over where he actually fits in Charles Lee's rotation.
Buddy Hield reportedly headed to Hornets in three-player deal as Hawks land Dorian Finney-SmithNBA insider Jake Fischer first flagged talks between the two sides on Sunday, and by Tuesday the framework had firmed up. "Buddy Hield and Ryan Nembhard to Charlotte, Dorian Finney-Smith to Atlanta," Fischer wrote, citing sources close to the negotiations. Marc Stein confirmed the same structure shortly after.
Atlanta also sent cash to Charlotte as part of the swap. The move created a $4.5 million trade exception for the Hornets and a $2.1 million exception for the Hawks, per ESPN's Bobby Marks. It's the sixth time Hield has changed teams since entering the league, a run that includes stints in Indiana, Sacramento, Philadelphia and a sign-and-trade detour to Golden State before Atlanta picked him up in February.
What each player brings to the dealHield averaged 7.6 points and 2.3 rebounds across 51 combined games with the Warriors and Hawks last season, shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from three. His accuracy actually improved after landing in Atlanta, where he hit 41.2 percent of his triples over seven games. He carries a $9.7 million cap number for 2026-27, with a $10.1 million player option the year after.
Nembhard, entering his second season, flashed real promise as a rookie, posting 6.6 points and 5.3 assists against just 1.4 turnovers a night for Dallas before Atlanta brought him in this summer. He's set to earn $2.2 million next season ahead of restricted free agency in 2027, though reports suggest Charlotte may waive him almost as soon as it lands him.
Finney-Smith walks into a new locker room after an injury-hit year in Houston, where ankle surgery delayed his season and limited him to 37 games. He shot just 33.3 percent from the field and 27 percent from three once he returned, well below his 35.9 percent career mark from deep. Still, his 44 playoff games give Atlanta a dose of postseason experience it didn't have.
Why the trade makes sense for both franchisesFor Atlanta, flipping a player who'd fallen out of the rotation for a forward capable of real minutes, if healthy, reads as a clean win. Hield hadn't cracked coach Quin Snyder's plans since Kristaps Porzingis arrived in February, so recovering any value counts as a good outcome.
Charlotte adds shooting depth and a familiar name for Eastern Conference defenses, even if a crowded wing group of Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller and newly acquired Grayson Allen leaves his playing time uncertain. Both sides open 2026-27 chasing bigger things in the East, with Atlanta coming off a 46-36 finish and Charlotte closing at 44-38 with a play-in win.
Next Story