Kings GM McNair spoke to Hield and agent

Kings general manager Monte McNair seems to have reached a level of understanding with sharpshooter Buddy Hield, who joined the social media masses in following his own trade rumors during the offseason.

McNair addressed the situation during a Zoom session with reporters Monday as the team prepared to begin training camp with individual player workouts Tuesday at Golden 1 Center. McNair said he has spoken to Hield and his agent, saying he believes Hield will shine in the team’s new system while noting that “elite level” shooting is “at a premium” in the NBA.

“I’ve talked with Buddy as well as his agent, and I think we’re all on the same page, and I think we’re really excited to see Buddy kind of let free in this system. I think he’s going to be fantastic,” McNair said.

Hield, 27, demanded a new contract last offseason, received an $86 million extension with incentives, and then grew dissatisfied when coach Luke Walton decided to start Bogdan Bogdanovic instead. Hield excelled in the backup role, but he made it clear he was unhappy and would not be content in that role going forward.

Hield averaged 19.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists last season. His 3-point shooting dipped from 42.7% to 39.4%, but he took his place among the game’s greatest shooters when he won the 3-Point Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago. Hield has made 873 career 3-pointers, more than any player in NBA history over his first four seasons.

McNair said Walton will work with new assistants Alvin Gentry and Rex Kalamian to bring out the best in Hield, who struggled at times last season while being challenged to do more at both ends of the floor. Hield, who will be paid $24.4 million this season in the first year of his new deal, will likely return to the starting lineup after the Kings declined to match an offer to Bogdan Bogdanovic, allowing him to go to the Atlanta Hawks as a restricted free agent.

“I think I’ve said in the past Buddy’s such an incredible talent and especially his shooting at an elite level is something that we saw this offseason was at a premium,” McNair said. “I think we’re really excited to see him in this system and obviously with coach Walton as well as Alvin and Rex and the system they’re going to implement, I think Buddy’s going to look really good in it. I’m excited to see him in training camp and how he can progress there. I think I have the utmost confidence Buddy will continue to play hard every night as he always has.”