Despite signing a contract extension last year, Buddy Hield’s future in Sacramento is not solidified. Here are 3 reasons why the Kings might trade him.
I like Buddy Hield a lot.
I always had optimism about the DeMarcus Cousins trade, and Hield’s development in to one of the most lethal three-point shooters in the game has proved me correct. He is the current 3-Point Contest champion, and he made 278 long balls in 2018-’19, good enough for 7th most in a single season in NBA history.
Hield gives the Kings the scoring option that any contending team in today’s game needs. While his high-volume year a season ago was impressive, it was just the fourth-best performance from that season alone, showing how much the NBA has changed as of late.
But that is what makes Hield all the more valuable. There isn’t a team in the league that wouldn’t want to have that kind of threat on their roster.
I wouldn’t go as far as to call him a fan favorite, but Hield certainly has a way with the Kings faithful. His smile is infectious, and he plays with a joyful passion. He is also responsible for a handful of the most clutch moments that Sacramento has enjoyed over the last few years.
Unfortunately for Hield, he had a tumultuous season off of the court in 2019-’20.
Never afraid to be outspoken with the media, Hield hinted at “cracks in the foundation” regarding the Kings’ locker room and mentioned trust issues between the players and the coaching staff in late-game situations.
Then came Hield’s benching in favor of Bogdan Bogdanovic, which produced victories on the court but expected turmoil off of it. Hield was reported as saying he would request a trade if he was relegated to bench duty in to the next season, which brings us to the issue at hand.
The Sacramento Kings have a serious decision to make this summer. Bogdanovic is due for a pay day and the team was obviously improved with him as a starter. Being able to justify paying both Hield and Bogdanovic big money to play the same position will be difficult for Vlade Divac and the front office.
So maybe the Kings should explore trading Buddy Hield. Before you come at my head, let me tell you three reasons why I think a deal should be made during the impending off season.