Even that might not appease Hield. Scouts and executives have differing views on whether Hield should start or come off the bench. They lament his lapses with ballhandling and defense, but there is no denying Hield is one of the NBA’s premier 3-point shooters. Hield made 3.8 3s per game this season, third in the NBA while shooting 39.4 percent from beyond the arc. And Hield’s effort was never questioned, even if he isn’t a fan of Walton. But with such a big salary and the team already cutting staff for financial reasons because of the pandemic, the Kings moving on from Hield might make sense.
More on Buddy Hield Trade?
But for Hield, things have changed. According to league sources, Hield has soured on Walton to the point he will not answer his coach’s phone calls. Messages to Hield’s agent, Brandon Rosenthal, and Walton were not returned. In February, The Athletic reported Hield’s frustrations with Walton and how his benching was handled could lead to Hield wanting to be traded after the 2019-20 season.
Hield is doing his part on social media to stir up rumors about a trade by liking an Instagram post linking him to being traded to Philadelphia and liking a news alert on Twitter about Doc Rivers being hired to coach the 76ers. Hield’s personality is such that it’s not beyond him to be trolling fans and media who monitor his posts. This, however, is a different level of public frustration for Hield, who never brazenly called out Joerger as he did Walton this season.
If the Kings are inclined to keep Hield, it could help if Sacramento is able to land Alvin Gentry as its associate head coach. A league source said the Kings would like to make that happen, but they have competition from Philadelphia, which would like to add Gentry to Doc Rivers’ staff. Gentry was Hield’s first NBA coach in New Orleans before he was traded to Sacramento in 2017. Gentry has spoken highly of Hield. Adding Gentry, who was fired by New Orleans after missing the playoffs this season, would fill the need for an associate head coach to replace Igor Kokoskov, who left the Kings during the restart to become coach of Fenerbahçe of the Turkish Basketball Super League and the EuroLeague.
A rumor emerged about the Kings trading Buddy Hield to the 76ers. It didn’t seem particularly credible. But then Hield himself liked this Instagram post promoting a potential trade and apparently made a pro-Philadelphia comment on Instagram.
So when the Kings' season ended Thursday, and Hield was asked if he's comfortable with his role off the bench in Sacramento heading into next season, his answer raised some eyebrows. Including, I'd imagine, some in Philadelphia. Here's what Hield had to say: [Hield] provided a series of short answers during a Zoom session with reporters and offered a cryptic response when asked if he could be content with his role going into next season. "Y'all know me," Hield said. "Y'all know how I talk. Y'all know how I feel. Y'all can read me well, so I'll let y'all answer that yourselves."
There was a story today that said if you continue to be unhappy with your role you might request a trade at some point. Do you want to address that? “It’s all about winning,” Hield said. “It doesn’t matter what’s going on. I can’t control nothing. It’s all about winning and we have 28 games left, so try to finish the season out strong and try to maximize as much as I can and (win) basketball games.”
Are you unhappy with the role you’re in? “I’m playing basketball,” Hield said. “That’s what I love doing. I’m here. I’m blessed. I can’t complain. There’s only 450 guys in the world who play in this league. It’s the best league in the world. Everybody in Europe’s trying to get here. Everybody in college is trying to get here. I’m happy. I’m great. I’m blessed. I’m humbled to be here.”
But Hield’s situation remains one Divac has to monitor. If Hield remains displeased with his role, a source with knowledge of his thinking said he might request a trade. He believes he is a starter in the NBA and there’s no guarantee he’ll get that job back, given how the team has played lately. And unlike last season, when he never criticized Joerger publicly and even refrained from doing so after their well-chronicled January 2019 run-in at Golden State, Hield has shown a willingness to criticize Walton that has proved at times problematic.
Hield is known to have no issues with Bogdanovic, who is one of his best friends on the team. But it appears his possible desire to leave would be rooted in his frustration with Walton.
Jason Anderson: Kings guard Buddy Hield tells me the team's $90-million offer was an "insult" and hints he might be ready to demand a trade if he doesn't get a better offer before Monday's deadline. sacbee.com/sports/article…
James Ham: "The goal is to be here. I love Sacramento, but if they don't want me here, if they don't feel like I'm part of the core... I like respect and loyalty and I feel like I'm part of the group that's getting the team back to where it needs to be." -Buddy Hield
Hield isn’t demanding a max deal, but he wants the Kings to show him some respect. “It’s not just about less than the max, it’s something that is reasonable, where it’s not an insult,” Hield said. “Where we respect each on a level and come to an agreement, that’s the biggest thing between me and my team, to come to an agreement.”
The Sacramento Kings acquired guards Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway and 2017 first and second-round draft selections from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for forward/center DeMarcus Cousins and forward Omri Casspi, it was announced today by Kings Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Vlade Divac.
"We’re thrilled to welcome DeMarcus Cousins and Omri Casspi to the New Orleans Pelicans family,” stated Pelicans General Manager Dell Demps. “This is an exciting time for Pelicans fans as we continue our quest for long-term success. I know our fans are equally excited to welcome DeMarcus and Omri to our great city. I want to thank Mr. and Mrs. Benson, Dennis Lauscha and Mickey Loomis for their continued support and providing the resources for us to be successful. I’d also like to thank Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway and Buddy Hield for their professionalism and hard work on the court and in the community during their tenure in New Orleans.”
Baxter Holmes: Source familiar w/ Kings’ thinking: "Vivek thinks Buddy [Hield] has Steph Curry potential.” Am told that fixation was a key driver in deal.
Ramona Shelburne: Deal for Okafor was very close, per source. But Philly and NOLA could never agree on protections for the picks included.
The Pelicans are sending guards Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans and Langston Galloway, and 2017 first- and second-round picks to the Kings as part of the deal, league sources said, with forward Omri Casspi going to the Kings.
Marc Stein: Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway and a future first- and second-round to Sacramento for DeMarcus Cousins, league sources say
New Orleans has discussed parameters of a Cousins deal, and executives with other teams told The Vertical that Kings management has privately encouraged them to offer up trade proposals for Cousins despite the public proclamation that he wasn’t available Talks with New Orleans have included the Pelicans sending multiple first-round picks, pick swaps, rookie guard Buddy Hield and expiring contracts to the Kings, league sources said.
According to sources, the Kings attempted to move up in the 2016 NBA Draft to select shooting guard Buddy Hield, and point guard Jrue Holiday has admirers in the organization. The Pelicans also own all of their first-round draft picks moving forward.
