The Sacramento Kings are once again the definition of mediocrity as they currently sit 11-17 on the season. Amazingly they are right in the race for the play-in tournament, but that speaks more of the rest of the West than the Kings themselves.
Things are not sunny in Sacramento as they continue their standard operating procedure of one step forward and three steps back. The franchise has made some lower-level changes, but nothing has significantly worked as of this moment.
Luke Walton is out as the team’s Head Coach, and the Kings are a less than stellar 5-6 in the Alvin Gentry era. Not to say that it is entirely Gentry’s fault, though, because it’s obvious that is not the case. This team’s problems are much more than skin (or coach) deep. Gentry can only do so much with what he’s given, and the fact of the matter is that the front office hasn’t given him very much.
While the Sacramento Kings’ players certainly need to play better, it’s also up to Monty McNair to bring in better players.
Sure, players like Harrison Barnes are solid additions to a core built around De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, and Richaun Holmes has played better than anyone, yet the rest of the roster is either full of inexperience or devoid of talent. There doesn’t even seem to be a sense of pride from the team at the moment. The Kings are bad, and they know it.
This brings us to one Buddy Hield. Back in the rumor mill, it seems clear that the Kings are looking to trade Hield and are hoping for a “hefty” return.
Whether the Kings are looking to rebuild or if they’re still hell-bent on making a playoff push, it makes all the sense in the world to be shopping him. There are many reasons to trade Hield, but the biggest is also the most obvious: Buddy Hield doesn’t want to be in Sacramento.
With that in mind, it’s time to take a look at what the Kings could realistically expect in return for Hield: