Kings finalize four-year deal with Hield
Kings guard Buddy Hield told general manager Vlade Divac to show him the money Saturday during a playful moment at the team’s annual Fan Fest at Golden 1 Center. Divac has reportedly done exactly that, signing the 26-year-old sharpshooter to a lucrative new deal and ending any uncertainty about his future in Sacramento.
KHTK radio host Carmichael Dave reported Monday morning the Kings were expected to finalize an agreement with Hield before the NBA’s 3 p.m. deadline for rookie-scale contract extensions.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reported Hield and the Kings had agreed to a four-year extension worth $86 million in guaranteed money with up to $20 million in incentives. A source told Amick the incentives were based on individual and team
goals, including All-Star and NBA Finals appearances. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the deal includes easily attainable incentives that would net Hield an additional $8 million.
According to Amick, Hield’s salary will decline by 8% each year and is expected to take up just 13.5% of the team’s salary cap space in the final year. This latest bit of cap wizardry from assistant general manager Ken Catanella will allow the Kings to match any offers Bogdan Bogdanovic receives as a restricted free agent this summer while preserving the space that will be needed to re-sign point guard De’Aaron Fox and forward Marvin Bagley III over the next two years.
Bogdanovic is eligible for a four-year extension worth up to $51.4 million. Bogdanovic told The Sacramento Bee the Kings have made him a max offer. He has until June 30 to accept the deal, but he would likely receive far bigger offers in restricted free agency.
Hield and the organization have been at odds since Hield expressed frustration over contract talks with the team during an interview with The Sacramento Bee on Oct. 10. Hield reiterated his concerns following a preseason game against Melbourne United on Wednesday, saying he was unhappy with the team’s initial $90 million offer and “might have to find a new home” if he couldn’t reach an agreement with the Kings before Mondays deadline.
If the Kings had not finalized an agreement before the deadline, Hield would have become a restricted free agent this summer.
The Kings acquired Hield in the trade that sent DeMarcus Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2017, marking the start of a rebuild that has overhauled the roster and brought excitement back to Sacramento. He played a backup role in 2017-18 but enjoyed a breakout season as a starter in 2018-19, averaging career highs of 20.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He shot 42.7% from 3-point range and became the first player in league history to make 600 3-pointers in his first three seasons, surpassing the likes of Damian Lillard, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Hield established himself as critical piece of a talented young core that helped the Kings win 39 games last season, their highest win total since they last reached the playoffs in 2006. Bleacher Report recently named Hield and Fox the eighth-best backcourt in the NBA.