Buddy Hield considered several factors before agreeing to a four-year, $86 million extension (plus $20 million in incentives) with the Sacramento Kings on Monday.
The 6-foot-4 shooting guard took in mind the recent rift between the NBA and China, which could spell a massive loss in revenue for the league, resulting in thinner contracts in the future, according to Sam Amick and Jason Jones of The Athletic:
According to a recent USA Today report, the league’s annual revenue from China is conservatively estimated at $500 million. As such, there’s widespread fear that a major decline would depress salaries in summers to come. Naturally, a player in his prime like the 26-year-old Hield would want to secure the bag now, as the kids say, rather than run the risk of facing a different financial landscape later.
Beyond that, the fear of missing out on a big payday was real for Hield, as other stars like DeMarcus Cousins and Isaiah Thomas have missed out on big contracts in the past. Cousins was on track to sign a five-year, $207 million extension with the Kings before the team decided to trade him to the Pelicans instead, right at the end of the All-Star Game in 2017. The big man then tore his Achilles the next season and missed out on a big contract.
Hield's new deal is laced with $8 million in likely bonuses, turning a base of $86 million into an expected $94 million. There is also $12 million in unlikely bonuses that include an All-Star bid, making the NBA Finals, and leading the league in 3-pointers made (made 278 last season, fourth in the NBA).
As a result, Hield could earn as much as $106 million if he manages to trigger all of his bonuses, an amount much closer to the $110 million he and his representatives initially desired out of a deal.
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