Despite recently defeating the struggling Phoenix Suns and returning to the ranks of victory, the Golden State Warriors can only be described as performing averagely. In the first month at the start of the season, the Warriors looked like a championship-level team, but since then, they have taken a sharp turn for the worse and recently appear more like a play-in tournament-level team. Even after making a small trade and acquiring Dennis Schroder, there has been little change, with the Warriors achieving only a 2-4 record in the six games Schroder has played.
The team's top star, Stephen Curry, remains at the peak of his game, often doing incredible things; rookie Jonathan Kuminga seems to have finally found the role that suits him best, with his recent performance also showing improvement; Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green's performances have basically reached their standards. However, some of the other established players in the Warriors' supporting cast, after a strong start to the season, have seen their performances plummet to the bottom, especially this season's important acquisition, Buddy Hield.
Hield's performance at the beginning of the season was very impressive, with the former sixth overall pick often displaying shooting abilities from beyond the three-point line comparable to those of Klay Thompson in his prime. Even during the early part of the season when Curry missed multiple games due to injury, the Warriors relied on his offensive performance to maintain stability. Since Hield spent most of his time coming off the bench, he became a hot candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year award at the start of the season.
In Hield's first 15 games with the Warriors, he seemed to have established good chemistry with his teammates and the coaching staff. Hield perfectly understood the Warriors' offensive and defensive system and was given the role that suited him best. From the perspective of the team, strategy, or individual, both sides seemed to be a perfect match. Hield himself even said that joining the Warriors reignited his love for basketball. He averaged 16.2 points per game in these 16 games, with a three-point shooting percentage as high as 44.2%, which was a pleasant surprise for the Warriors who desperately needed Curry's shooting and offensive support.
However, for some unknown reason, Hield's situation deteriorated sharply after his impressive performance in the first 15 games. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly what caused Hield's performance to drop significantly, but the direct result is that due to his poor form, he has recently fallen out of the regular rotation, and it is even hard to guarantee his playing time.
In Hield's last 16 games, he averaged only 9.8 points, with his three-point shooting percentage dropping to 34.9%. For a role player like Hield, who earns less than $9 million a year, such data should not be criticized, but considering that Hield is basically a negative presence in areas other than shooting, it is understandable that head coach Steve Kerr reduced his playing time. It is currently unclear when Hield will be able to emerge from his slump, but if Thursday's victory over the Suns is any indication, it won't be soon. Hield's slump reached new heights in this game, where he played 15 minutes, went 0-for-7 from the field, and scored 0 points.
The Warriors' decline over the past one or two months cannot simply be attributed to a new role player like Hield, but if Hield could maintain his fiery form at the start of the season, it would certainly help the Warriors. More importantly, ominous signs have emerged for Hield, not only has his playing time started to decrease, but he has also faced blunt criticism from teammate Draymond Green due to his poor on-court performance. This player, once viewed by outsiders as the perfect replacement for Thompson, now cannot even secure guaranteed playing time. Hield's situation is worth paying attention to because if his performance does not improve, he may not be able to continue with the Warriors after the mid-season trade deadline.