Buddy Hield is in line to get paid. The Sacramento Kings standout enters the 2019-20 campaign on the final year of his rookie deal, and unlike most players coming off of their rookie deals, Hield has a little more incentive to get a monster payday on this contract, as he’ll turn 27 in December and may not have another opportunity to get this much cash again.
It helps that Hield has made himself an invaluable contributor in Sacramento. The former Oklahoma standout is a thermonuclear shooter, connecting on 42.7 percent of his triples last season. In turn, Hield led the Kings in scoring, averaging 20.7 points per game. Sacramento has a young core, and Hield’s ability to shoot the basketball makes him an important part of what they’re building.
In a piece by Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee, Hield made it clear that he wants to figure out a deal that would keep him with the Kings.
“As a player, you want to have that trust that the franchise has your back and we’re just waiting for them to make a move and come to an agreement,” Hield said. “They’re talking, but nothing is moving yet. Nothing has moved. I’m ready to make things happen, man. I want to make Sacramento my home. I’m ready to get this sh*t done. I want to be here and if it doesn’t happen, then things can go the other way.”
Mentioning that things could go the other way is, obviously, a touch ominous, but it sounds like Hield’s top priority is to stick around. Still, there is an obvious urgency with which he’s working to get a deal all sorted out as soon as possible.
“This is where I want to be, so it would be good for me to be here in Sacramento,” Hield said. “If I’m their guy, I think they should make it happen already. I want to build a future here. I want to be here, but we have to see something. Something’s gotta come to the table.”
Hield can get around $170 million on a five-year max deal with the Kings, so it makes sense why he’d want to get something done soon. If the hope is to get something done before the season, time is running out, as Sacramento will begin the 2019-20 campaign on Oct. 23.
