LAS VEGAS – When New Orleans tips off its 2016-17 regular season in October, Pelicans rookie Buddy Hield will be surrounded by a three-time All-Star power forward, a one-time All-Star point guard and several other weapons who’ll minimize the ability of opposing defenses to target the Oklahoma product. Through three summer league games, however, it’s been much a different story for Hield, who is averaging 19.0 points per game, but also shooting just 34.9 percent from the field (26.5 from three-point range).
To paraphrase a former Boston Celtics head coach, Anthony Davis isn’t walking through that summer league door. All three summer Pelicans opponents have loaded up defensively on Hield, forcing him to score with a man in his face, or to create plays off the dribble. The four-year college player is expected to continue working on his ballhandling during the remainder of this offseason, but shooting off the bounce is not his forte. Many of his misses in summer league have been short and contested, after multiple dribbles.
“This kid averaged 25 points in the college game – that’s extremely difficult to do,” NBA TV analyst and former NBA guard Steve Smith said. “The reason why I loved it is he didn’t dominate the basketball. He took a couple dribbles and it was either a pull-up or get to the bucket, and he allowed his teammates to still be good around him… If you look at how many dribbles he takes throughout the course of a game (at Oklahoma), it’s probably (only) 15 or 20. Everything is a catch-and-shoot, and he makes his mind up (quickly). He doesn’t waste time with a lot of dribbling.”
Contrast that with his three games in summer league, where Hield has been overplayed and not allowed many catch-and-shoot opportunities. He’s still been able to go on a pair of scoring barrages – he had a 12-point fourth quarter vs. Utah and a 17-point third-quarter binge against Sacramento – but started slowly in each game.
“Things are tight,” Pelicans summer head coach Robert Pack said of the lack of room for Hield. “(Opponents) know we’re trying to do things for him. Our bigs are not bigs that can really stretch the floor, so the paint is packed a little bit. We have to execute really well to get those shots (for Hield). In the regular season, with more players on the floor with the ability to shoot and spread the floor, it will help him a lot. (In summer league) teams are putting their hands on him, are aggressive with him and trying to rough him up.”
“It’s growing pains I have to go through,” Hield said of his experience. “It’s something I’m not used to. It’s something to help me get better. I’m enjoying the moment and taking every day as an opportunity to get better.
“You come in with a label on you, and everybody wants a piece of you. You’re the sixth pick in the draft, and everybody knows you’re a scorer. So you’ve got to bring it each and every night. This is the NBA, so there are no nights off.”
New Orleans (1-2) will begin play in the NBA Summer League single-elimination tournament Wednesday, with opponent, time, venue and broadcasting information to be determined. Behind Hield’s big second half Monday, the Pelicans avoided potentially being relegated to the lowest seed in the 24-team bracket. Instead, they will likely be placed slightly higher, but can’t finish better than No. 19.
After New Orleans lost to the Lakers and Utah on the weekend, Hield was pleased to prevail against Sacramento (0-3), after he totaled a game-best 23 points. But he wants to bring his percentages up, after going 3/12 from three-point range against the Kings. He was 1/8 and 5/14 vs. the Lakers and Jazz, respectively.
“I’m happy we got the win,” Hield said. “I need to shoot the ball better, though.”