The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Buddy Hield’s role has fluctuated during his tenure with the Sacramento Kings and many pundits expect the sixth year guard to take on a reserve role to begin the 2021-22 campaign.

Hield, who was the focus of trade rumours following a much maligned 2020-21 season, said his approach will remain the same irrespective of where he fits into head coach Luke Walton’s loaded backcourt which includes franchise cornerstone De’Aaron Fox, Rookie of the Year finalist Tyrese Haliburton and the no.9 overall pick in the 2021 Draft - Davion Mitchell.

“Whenever I’m called on, whatever the team wants me to do, I’ll just go out there and have fun,” Hield said on the final day of training camp prior to last night’s season opener, “Be the star in your role and whatever time I get out there, whatever shots I get up there be an All-Star in that, contribute to the team and whatever they need me to do.”

On draft night, Hield was rumoured to be the principle of a trade package that would have sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers, but the team eventually shifted toward the eventual deal to trade for Russell Westbrook.

He was also rumoured to be attached to a deal that could see him involved in a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons. Despite the speculation, Heild said he is ready to move on and contribute to team development, due in large part to his relationship with Kings General Manager and President of Basketball Operations - Monte McNair.

Hield contrasted his experience under McNair, with his experience with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2017 under GM Dell Demps.

“Monte has been real from the start since he came here. That’s why he knows there is a respect level there between both of us. He let me know what’s going on as a professional. When I was in New Orleans my GM didn’t let me know I got traded. He didn’t even let me know I was in trade conversations, I was a rookie, I just looked on ESPN and saw I was traded and it was shocking. All I knew was I had to go to Sacramento,” Hield said, “But Monte let me know what was happening. He let me know my name was up and told me if something happens he let me know something might happen and if it did they wished me all the best but if it didn’t they still want me to come back and light it up. That was a grown man conversation and I appreciated that. It was good and professional and I think having that dialogue with him was great for me as a basketball player. There is a lot of respect back and forth so there is no bad blood or anything.”

Hield and the Kings’ disappointing end to the 2020-21 season included an extension of the NBA’s longest playoff drought. The Kings finished the season 31-41, the franchise’s 15th consecutive season without a playoff berth which tied an NBA record. He ended the season with averages of 16.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. He also ranked fourth in the league with 2,433 minutes played.

Hield now has 1,065 threes during his tenure as a King, and will head into next season four shy of Peja Stojakovic’s franchise career record of 1,070. He set a new career high for made threes in a single season with 282.

In March, he also became the fastest player to make 1,000 career made three-pointers in NBA history. Hield set the mark in just 350 games to reach the milestone faster than Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors who held the previous record of 369 games. The top four also includes the Warriors’ Klay Thompson (372 games) and Damian Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers (385 games).

He finished the season 39.1 percent from three point range, his worst year since his rookie season where he also shot 39.1 percent. He took 10.2 attempts last season, the highest of his career.