A Royal Pain
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Kings Should Trade Hield, Add SG Through Draft

By Anthony Cardenas

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 11: Buddy Hield #24 of the Sacramento Kings leaves the court after their game against the New Orleans Pelicans was postponed due to the corona virus at Golden 1 Center on March 11, 2020 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 11: Buddy Hield #24 of the Sacramento Kings leaves the court after their game against the New Orleans Pelicans was postponed due to the corona virus at Golden 1 Center on March 11, 2020 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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There are choices to be made by the Sacramento Kings front office this upcoming offseason. One of those decisions will be regarding Buddy Hield’s future.

One of the more hotly debated topics for the Sacramento Kings during the offseason will be the future of Buddy Hield. Despite signing a large contract extension just before the season began, the  fourth-year sharp shooter has had an up and down season.

His production and efficiency have both took a small hit from the season before, but it was his late-game mistakes and up-and-down relationships with the coaching staff that could make him fall out of favor. The decision to move Hield to a reserve role turned out to be a season-saving move for the Kings, and also brought a new question to light:

Is Buddy Hield expendable and would the Kings benefit from moving on?

As much as we love Buddy Hield and his three-point excellence, the wise decision just might be the one that suggests trading him. Bogdan Bogdanovic has all but solidified his position in the starting lineup, and Hield isn’t going to displace Harrison Barnes and play out of position just to get back in to the starting lineup.

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So what does the team do with a guy who is owed $24 million next year but has fallen out of favor? In our opinion, the smart thing to do would be to trade Hield for needed pieces and future assets. In order to fill the void created by a trade, Sacramento could look towards the draft for potential replacements.

While the 2020 NBA Draft class is not expected to be one of the strongest, there are a handful of prospects that could fall to the Kings at the back end of the lottery. Devin Vassell from Florida State would be an intriguing pickup given his 3-and-D potential, and there are a handful of combo guards that could fall and be a steal for Sacramento.

Hield was a huge part of the Kings identity as recently as last season, but things can change quickly in the NBA. While it seemed like Hield was occasionally at odds with former head coach Dave Joerger, things haven’t seemed to get any better with his replacement. There have been multiple occasions in which Hield provides critical comments to the local media regarding the coaching staff and team chemistry issues.

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That issue combined with his poor late-game decision making could be a recipe for a trade this coming offseason. The idea sounded crazy at first, but the more time that passes, the more that it might actually seem like a good idea.

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