The Kings won’t let Buddy Hield‘s frustration with his current role force them into a move, according James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area.
A report Friday stated that Hield isn’t returning phone calls from Sacramento coach Luke Walton, who turned him into a sixth man this season after being a full-time starter in 2018-19. A source tells Ham that Kings management isn’t concerned about the situation because it’s the offseason and Hield has proved himself to be a hard worker. They expect him to show up ready to play whenever training camp opens.
The front office has been through similar situations with Hield, Ham adds. He also complained about former coach Dave Joerger, who often yelled at Hield for mistakes during games, and he made comments about ex-general manager Vlade Divac, even after signing an extension that gave him the largest contract in franchise history.
Among the offseason challenges for new GM Monte McNair will be re-signing restricted free agent Bogdan Bogdanovic. If McNair decides the team can’t afford both players, he might start exploring trade options for Hield, but Ham notes that McNair will want value in return and won’t get rid of Hield simply because he might be a disruptive presence.
Hield, whose four-year, extension kicks in next season (worth $24.4M next year), is considered one of the league’s best three-point shooters, connecting at a 39.4 percent rate this season and 41.1 percent for his career. But Ham states that his frequent outbursts at coaches and management lessen his trade value and will make it harder for the Kings to find a satisfactory deal.
More must-reads: