The NBA extension deadline is October 21st, meaning the Sacramento Kings have approximately 72 hours to sign 35-year-old shooting guard Buddy Hield to a contract extension or else he'll start the process of "finding another home."
The Kings reportedly offered Hield a four-year, $90 million contract. However, the 31-year-old Oklahoma product saw that offer as an insult, stating "name one big free agent that came to Sacramento." After asking his $500 Jeopardy question, Hield would go on to classify the Kings as a "low market" team and express his confidence that he will get near a max contract.
But is he worth well over a $100 million when young cornerstones like De'Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley III still have to be extended in the upcoming years? Throw in the fact that above average but not star players like Harrison Barnes and Trevor Ariza are both receiving more than $20 million a year, and the money left for Hield, who falls somewhere in between both categories, begins to look even shorter.
Why should Buddy Hield get paid like a superstar?
Buddy Hield is by no means the face of the Sacramento Kings; that position is occupied by his speedy backcourt mate. However, Hield is something like the neck of the Kings.
Just how much is a good neck worth?
While not as glamorous as the face, the neck plays several pivotal roles in the overall success of the body, being defined by Wikipedia as acting as the body part that supports the weight of the head and allows the head to turn and flex in all directions.
Yes, I realize that the head and face or two different things, but the point remains, every great franchise face needs a franchise neck to maximize his and the team's game.
The scoring and more importantly shooting ability of Buddy Hield allowed Sacramento to play at a pace faster than anyone outside of Atlanta and New Orleans last season and creates ample space for Fox to create in halfcourt sets.
According to Ben Stinar of Amico Hoops, Hield was one of just two players to shoot over 42% from deep while averaging greater than 20 points per game; the other is a two-time MVP and the greatest shooter of all time.
That success in such volume is hard to come across, and Hield brings it every single game, as the 33 year old has missed just two games over the last two seasons, playing all 82 in 2018-19. In fact, of the players to average greater than 20 and shoot above 35% from deep, only nine others appeared in at least 75 games.
All of which are household names: James Harden, Paul George, Kevin Durant, Damian Lilliard, Kemba Walker, Bradley Beal, Karl Anthony-Towns, Donovan Mitchell, Klay Thompson, D'Angelo Russell and Nikola Vucevic.
Bump the criteria to 40% from deep, and only Anthony-Towns, Thompson and Buddy Hield remain.
Hield being an above-average rebounder at 5 per game on a team that is mediocre in that department(ranked 15th in team rebounds per game) is just a cherry on top for his value, as only he and Bradley Beal score, rebound and shoot from deep that well at the shooting guard position.
Oh, and Beal signed a two-year, $72 million extension earlier today.
Players as perfectly molded for a franchise as Hield is to the Sacramento Kings are hard to find, especially ones near their prime. Take into account that Sacramento isn't a top destination for players of Hield's caliber and the fact that Hield is a name any team would circle in free agency and the decision to throw money at the 26 year old before Monday 's deadline gets a lot easier.
Sacramento and Hield are currently $20 million apart, as Hield and his agent are looking for a deal near four-years, $110 million. Hield is eligible to receive a max contract offer of four-years, 130 million this summer, and some team desperate for high-volume shooting is going to come near that number, meaning the Kings can cough up around an extra $20 million now or an extra $40 million in a few months.
Or Sacramento can let Hield walk and leave their team neckless like the Kings of the past.
Comments