3 Ways That The Buddy Hield Situation Hurts The Kings

De’Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley

Hield’s situation has also set a negative example for the players who are set to receive their rookie extensions over the next few seasons. This has not been much of a problem for the Kings in recent memory as a majority of their draft picks have fizzled out before even being eligible for contract extensions, but they have a solid foundation this time around.

That foundation needs to avoid cracks. Hield is the first high-profile negotiation that the Kings have had since DeMarcus Cousins and the front office needs a good showing. The Kings’ reputation is somewhat contingent on the outcome of the current negotiations, and will certainly affect the future negotiations for De’Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley.

Fox will be eligible for his extension at this time next year, though those negotiations should last about three seconds. Fox has expressed his desire to be in Sacramento long-term and the franchise would be foolish to have any hesitation in giving their best player a max extension.

Bagley is somewhat more of a question mark. There is no doubt that Sacramento should extend an extension offer to the big man with high potential, but how willing is Bagley to accept it? He has been quieter about his ambition to remain a King, though there haven’t been many negative showings, either.

Bagley’s father has shown to be vocal on social media, mostly in regards to his son’s playing time during his first season. While most of the criticism was directed at former coach Dave Joerger, it was still not a great look for the prospect of how much Bagley and his family want to be in Sacramento for the long term.

The current situation with Hield could potentially affect the thinking and decision making for Fox and Bagley when they are due to sign long-term deals. Sacramento has not exactly been at the top of anyone’s “best-run franchises” list, and another misstep in 2019 could have a domino effect.