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Buddy Hield has long been the subject of a recurring narrative within the NBA, often summed up as the "Buddy Hield Cycle." The cycle, as highlighted in a viral graphic, follows a familiar trajectory: Hield joins a new team, plays like a top-five shooter in the league, gradually forgets how to shoot and becomes lackluster defensively, claims to "Thank God for life, health, and strength", and then eventually moves on to another team to start the process anew.
Hield’s 2024-25 season with the Golden State Warriors appears to be the latest example of this frustrating pattern. Let’s analyze Buddy Hield’s stats by month:
October: 21.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, shooting 49.4% from the field and 50.0% from 3-point range.
November: 13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists, shooting 44.8% from the field and 41.4% from 3-point range.
December: 8.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists, shooting 36.2% from the field and 30.5% from 3-point range.
January: 8.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists shooting 42.9% from the field and 35.3% from 3-point range
Hield’s fluctuating performances embody the "Buddy Hield Cycle" meme perfectly. He initially dazzled with his shooting, giving fans and analysts hope that he could be a consistent top-tier contributor. But as the months passed, his shooting efficiency plummeted, and his defensive lapses became more glaring. This inconsistency has been a recurring theme throughout his career and has led to frequent changes in teams and roles.
Even Draymond Green, a player with four championship rings who knows what it takes to win, expressed frustration with Hield’s lack of focus during critical moments. Hield’s inability to lock in consistently on both ends of the court has been a constant obstacle in his journey to becoming a truly reliable player.
Hield is currently averaging 12.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists on 42.9% shooting from the field and 39.0% from three-point range for the season. While these are respectable numbers, they don’t reflect the potential he flashed in October. If Hield hopes to finally escape the "full cycle" narrative, he’ll need to address his consistency issues and bring sustained effort on both ends of the court.
For now, however, the "Buddy Hield Cycle" remains alive and well, and the Warriors will need more from him if they hope to contend in a stacked Western Conference.
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NBA Fans Send Love To Steph Curry After Heartbreaking News
On Monday, Steph Curry's grandmother (Candy Adams) passed away. His mother (Sonya) made the announcement (via Instagram). She wrote: "Heaven gained an angel, and we lost our heart. Today we say goodbye to our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. A woman who taught us to love fiercely, laugh often, and keep family at the center of everything. Her love lives on in every hug we give, every story we tell, and every lesson she left us with. As Luther said, “A house is not a home when there’s no one there to hold you tight.” You were our home and now your love lives in all of us. Rest easy now, we’ll carry you with us, always. ❤️ I love you Mommy" @49ers_Throwback: " for Curry family." @warriorstalk: "Sending out our condolences and prayers " @WarriorsMuse: "May she rest in peace Prayers go out to Steph, Sonya, and the rest of the Adams/Curry family " @Simpli_Wundaful: "My Condolences to the entire family" @CarolNetti49500: "Your Grandmother is Beautiful RIP sweet lady." @Kit10star: "O steph. Sorry to hear ur grandma left this world. Heavens gain I am sure. Much l8ve" @Corebreezy_: "May her soul rest in peace, sending my prayers to the curry family️" @KDawnSeven: "Prayers up and sincerest condolences to Steph and his family " Curry (who is 37) is coming off another All-Star season for the Golden State Warriors. Next year will be his 17th in the NBA.
Kirk Cousins makes notable leadership move after Falcons practice
Kirk Cousins might be relegated to the job of backup quarterback, but he is showing veteran leadership to his Atlanta Falcons teammates. Following Sunday's practice, Cousins pulled aside rookie defensive end James Pearce to encourage the first-round pick after his fourth practice in the league at Flowery Branch, Georgia. "QB Kirk Cousins pulled aside Pearce after practice to compliment him on a pass batted down," wrote Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Cousins reportedly had a solid day of practice on Sunday, going 7-of-12 passing against the first-team unit. If Cousins wants out of Atlanta, he's not showing it at practice. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is competing on the field and being a good teammate around the facility. Cousins' actions on the field backed up what Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot praised Cousins for before the team's practice on Sunday. “Outside, it's a lot more of a deal than it is in the building,” Fontenot said to the media about the idea of friction between the Falcons and Cousins, per video from D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “He shows up, he does his job, just like anybody ... We've gotta build the best 70-man roster so we can go win games. "That's what we're focused on, and Kirk, just like all the other players, is focused on coming in here and doing their job. That's what he's been doing." Fontenot didn't dismiss the idea that Atlanta would trade Cousins before the season. He said the Falcons will do whatever it takes to make the team better, but stressed that Cousins has been a professional throughout the process of being replaced by Michael Penix Jr., a first-round pick from the 2024 draft. “In terms of making moves, whether it's trades or acquiring players, we're always looking at those factors," Fontenot said. "We're gonna do whatever we can do to make this team the best it can possibly be. But he's been a great professional, and he's handled himself well.” Cousins is coming to work in a manner that will make another owner want to take a chance on the veteran quarterback. That could be one of his best-selling points before he plays in his 13th season in the league.
Report: Bengals draw hard line in Trey Hendrickson contract talks
Cincinnati Bengals star defensive end Trey Hendrickson has been holding out from training camp as he seeks a new contract, and it does not sound like the two sides are all that close to a deal. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said on "SportsCenter" Monday that there has been "some progress" in negotiations between the Bengals and Hendrickson's representatives over the past week or so. The real disagreement has to do with guaranteed money, and Cincinnati's brass is not budging. "Hendrickson wants a stronger guaranteed structure, particularly later in what should be a multiyear deal. In talking to people with the Bengals they feel like, 'Hey, we've probably relented as far as we can go.' So this is a classic stare-off right now, and it's time to buckle up," Fowler said, via Andrew Peters of Bleacher Report. Hendrickson is set to earn $16M in base salary in the final year of his contract this season. He recently said he has shown a willingness to take less than market value on a new deal, but the Bengals do not want to guarantee him money beyond the 2026 season. Based on what he has said, the 30-year-old Hendrickson is not seeking to become the highest-paid defensive player in football. In order to accomplish that, he would have to top the three-year, $123M extension T.J. Watt signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. Hendrickson had 35 sacks over the past two seasons, which was the most in the NFL during that span. He had 17.5 sacks each season and finished second in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2024. The Bengals took care of one major offseason issue on Sunday when they finally signed first-round pick Shemar Stewart to a rookie deal. All it will take is one side to budge in the team's ongoing stalemate with Hendrickson, but all parties seem to be dug in as training camp rolls on.
Top Islanders Star Tells Asst. GM, 'You Better Not Trade Me'
The New York Islanders are entering a new era under a revamped front office, and signs point to a potential retool—or even a rebuild. The most telling move came at the NHL Draft in June, when the team traded star defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for two first-round picks. It’s a rare move in today’s NHL to deal your top blueliner, and it raised eyebrows across the league. Analysts and fans have wondered if more moves are coming. Since there are several teams looking for quality assets at a reasonable salary cap, it’s a logical question. Is Bo Horvat A Potential Trade Candidate? During an appearance on the Cam and Strick Podcast, newly appointed assistant to the general manager Matt Martin—an Islanders fan favorite and longtime forward—revealed a humorous but telling moment from inside the locker room. Martin, now working closely with the Isles’ new GM, said that Bo Horvat texted him immediately after the front office changes were announced. “You better not trade me,” Horvat reportedly wrote. The comments from Martin suggest that Horvat has no desire to leave the team, even if the Islanders aren’t set to be competitive this coming season. If the team is dumping some of their best talents, he does not want to be among those the organization chooses to sell. Horvat likely didn’t have to worry. He has a full no-trade clause as part of his contract, and even if management were open to asking him to waive it, he could have blocked any deal. It sounds like that would be his intention, so he was getting ahead of things by making sure they knew not to even ask.
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