The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Kings front office plans to have Buddy Hield as a part of the team's immediate plans moving forward.

Vlade Divac, Kings general manager, announced that the team exercised its 2018-19 option on the second year shooting guard.

Hield was one of five players the team exercised options on this week. Others included: guard Malachi Richardson, forward Skal Labissiere, and centres Willie Cauley-Stein and Georgios Papagiannis.

In NBA contracts, an option allows a team to extend a player's contract for one additional season after the scheduled end date for no less than the prior year's amount.

Hield was the No.6 pick of the 2016 Draft and projected salary for the 2018-19 season is at just over $3.8 million.

First round draft picks have their contracts set on a scale by the current Collective Bargaining Agreement for two guaranteed seasons followed by two seasons of team options.

Tuesday marked the deadline across the league for 2018-19 options and while the majority of players or teams exercised those options, there were several noteworthy exceptions.

A pair of lottery picks in 2015, Jahlil Okafor of the Philadelphia 76ers (No.3) and Mario Hezonja of the Orlando Magic (No.5) were two of the highest drafted players to have their options declined. Others first-rounders whose options were declined included Kevon Looney of the Golden State Warriors, Wade Baldwin of the Memphis Grizzlies, Chris McCullough of the Washington Wizards, Josh Huestis of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Brice Johnson of the Los Angeles Clippers, and Rashad Vaughn of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Despite the commitment to its young core, the Kings continue to struggle and just hours after the announcement lost their fifth consecutive game.

Hield finished just 2-9 from the field and finished with four points in the Kings' 101-83 loss to the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

In those five losses, Hield is shooting just 32 percent from the field and 17 percent from three point range.

Kings Head Coach Dave Joerger said shot making has been a struggle for the starting lineup and for Hield in particular.

"We're not making a lot of shots. We're getting shots. We're getting the execution, getting the ball to spots on the floor we want to get to, we're shots. Buddy Hield is not this bad of a shooter, Buddy Hield's a good shooter and he's really struggling right now and that's hurting our offence a little bit. But by in large, our starting lineup, whoever it is, they got to have more life By and large, the starting lineup, whoever it is, they've got to have more life," Joerger said following the loss, "I mean, good gracious. We came out in the second half and we had more assertiveness and more athleticism, but just walking around, slogging around in mud kind of."

The Kings were again plagued by a slow start in the first quarter, were never able to take the lead and were behind by as much as 28 points.

Joerger said, "It's happened both the last two games. They're up at halftime and they relax a little, but it's too late. You've got to make it competitive right from the jump, and we'll keep working on it. They're young guys and they're going to get better."