The displeasure Buddy Hield has expressed with the Sacramento Kings during ongoing contract extension talks rapidly intensified on Wednesday night.
The most recent information surrounding the talks say Hield is seeking nearly $110 million over four years, but the offer on the table from the Kings is just $90 million. A gap of nearly $20 million makes it easy to see why Hield would be frustrated.
Following the Kings' preseason finale, Hield vocalized his displeasure:
Buddy Hield is open to anything it sounds like, if this deal does not get done by Monday's deadline. Even trade?
"If they don't wanna do it, then we look for somewhere else to go. Maybe in the offseason, maybe this season, I don't know."
FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/4WNAAmntmq pic.twitter.com/oT3jDG31d0
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) October 17, 2019
Their only potential alternative to Hield who is already on the roster is Bogdan Bogdanovic, but he isn't as impactful. Also, the 2020 crop of free agents is quite underwhelming. Let's not forget, high-level free agents don't come to Sacramento often either. There will be teams next summer that want to bolster their shooting capabilities and aren't afraid to pay Hield the type of money he's seeking.
The Kings are currently running the risk of permanently damaging a relationship with one of the NBA's top jump shooters because they don't want to commit that much money. Hield recently emphasized that players appreciate being able to feel that a franchise “has your back” and that he wants to “get this s–t done” when talking about the contract talks.
Choosing to be aggressive with spending for role players before giving long-term deals to true foundational talents is not a wise strategy. The Kings could learn the consequences of such decisions firsthand if they choose to be greedy when it comes to paying Hield.
If the main reason why the Kings are dragging their feet in talks with Hield is over long-term cap flexibility, they should have thought twice before making some of their recent signings. It starts with the four-year, $85 million contract they agreed to give Harrison Barnes.
On top of handing out such a large deal to Barnes, the Kings are set to pay Dewayne Dedmon and Cory Joseph a combined $25.9 million in guaranteed money in 2020-21. Let's not forget that while Bogdan Bogdanovic is well-deserving of his extension offer on the table, he could be making $51.4 million over four seasons, too.
The two sides have until Monday's deadline to reach an agreement. It would be wise for the Kings to give Hield what he wants before it's too late. They are going to also have to give extensions to De'Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley III at some point in the future as well, so showing that they take care of their players would be smart.
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