Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield is coming off of a terrific 2018-19 campaign in which he averaged 20.7 points, five rebounds and 2.5 assists over 31.9 minutes per game while shooting 45.8 percent from the floor, 42.7 percent from three-point range and 88.6 percent from the free-throw line.
Now, he is heading into a 2019-20 season in which there are high expectations not only for himself, but the Kings.
For the first time in well over a decade, Sacramento is viewed as a legitimate playoff contender, as the Kings won 39 games a year ago and are returning a very talented young squad with some veteran additions.
But, for Sacramento to make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2006, Hield is going to have to have a big year.
Here are three numbers for the 26-year-old to target:
3. Four Free Throws Per Game
If there is one major hole in Hield's offensive game, it's his inability to draw fouls.
He is a terrific shooter and can get his jumper off from almost anywhere, but when it comes to getting to the free-throw line, Hield has a whole lot to learn.
Hield averaged just 2.4 free throws per game last season, and for his career, he averages 1.4. He actually took a rather big step in improving his foul-drawing ability in 2018-19, but he still has a long way to go.
The University of Oklahoma product will likely never be a guy who gets to the charity stripe regularly, as he just does not have the athleticism or the explosiveness for that, but being that he has good size and strength for his position, he should be getting to the line more.
Hield should set his sights on taking four free throws per game this year.
2. Shoot 48 Percent from the Floor
Hield was traded to the Kings midway through the 2016-17 campaign, and in 25 games with Sacramento that season, he made 48 percent of his shots.
Small sample size, I know, but Hield has improved his overall shooting percentage each of the last two years, as he went from 42.6 percent in his rookie year to 44.6 percent and then 45.8 percent.
While 48 percent seems like a big jump, especially for someone who relies a whole lot on their jumper, it is not out of the realm of possibility for a guy as talented as Hield.
Think about it: he shot 42.7 percent from three-point range last year on very high volume (7.9 three-point attempts per game), so if he puts the ball on the floor a little more and gets to the hoop, he should be able to shoot around 48 percent overall.
1. Average 18 Points Per Game
Yes, I am fully aware that Hield averaged over 20 a game last year, but we have to keep in mind that the Kings have more talent this time around.
Not only did they add veterans like Trevor Ariza, Dewayne Dedmon and Cory Joseph over the summer, but they will also have Harrison Barnes for a full season, and we also need to remember that youngsters like Marvin Bagley, De'Aaron Fox and Bogdan Bogdanovic are getting better and, therefore, should get more scoring opportunities this season.
If Hield averages 18 points per game off great efficiency and the rest of Sacramento's young talent continues to improve, the Kings will be in great shape in their quest for a playoff berth.
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