The Warriors’ reported acquisition of Buddy Hield also dealt a humiliating blow to a division rival who were interested in adding the sharpshooting guard.

Hield ultimately chose Golden State over the Los Angeles Lakers because he believes the Warriors offered a better opportunity to win, The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Anthony Slater and Mike Vorkunov reported on Thursday.

The Warriors acquired Hield from the Philadelphia 76ers in a sign-and-trade that sent back one of the second-round draft picks Golden State received from the Dallas Mavericks in a sign-and-trade for Klay Thomspon.

With both Golden State and Los Angeles looking to revamp their rosters following 2023-24 campaigns that fell short of expectations for both teams, the Warriors got the upper-hand over the Lakers in the Hield sweepstakes.

While Golden State is far removed from its status as an NBA superpower, Hield’s vote of confidence in the Warriors’ ability to contend moving forward is an encouraging endorsement as the post-Big Three era begins in the Bay Area,

After agreements to add veteran forward Kyle Anderson and two-way guard De’Anthony Melton, Golden State’s arrow is trending up, with the Warriors aiming to capitalize on the remaining years of Steph Curry’s storied career.

With the addition of Hield, Golden State now boasts two of the NBA’s deadliest 3-point marksmen, a recipe that led to plenty of success for the Warriors over the last decade.

In addition to Hield’s reputation as a lights-out shooter, the 31-year-old also brings tremendous durability to the Bay Area, missing only five games across his eight-year NBA career.

For now, Hield’s decision to spurn the Lakers in favor of the Warriors provides at minumum, fodder for friendly banter between the two fanbases as the prestigious franchises fight to return to NBA prominence in a loaded Western Conference.

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