Tyler Kaufman/Associated Press

Buddy Hield, Kings Reportedly Have 'No New Movement' in Contract Talks

Timothy Rapp

Buddy Hield and the Sacramento Kings have until Oct. 21 to come to terms on a rookie-scale contract extension, but the two sides may be too far apart to make that happen.

According to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee, a league source said there was "no new movement in negotiations between Hield and the team Saturday."

If the two sides don't come to an agreement by the deadline, Hield will become a restricted free agent after the season. 

Hield is hoping to get an extension with the Kings, however, as he told Anderson:

"We need to get that done. I want to get that done, for sure. If it doesn't get done, things could go the other way. This is where I want to be, so it would be good for me to be here in Sacramento. If I'm their guy, I think they should make it happen already. I want to build a future here. I want to be here, but we have to see something. Something's gotta come to the table. We have a week and a half to see what that brings, but I want to be here."

His backcourt mate, De'Aaron Fox, is also hoping Hield sticks around for the long term.

"Everybody deals with their own, so it's something I worry about, but obviously, I want to continue to play with a guy like that," he told James Ham of NBC Sports California. "For me, just hopefully they get it done."

Hield, 26, led the Kings in scoring (20.7 PPG) while shooting an impressive 45.8 percent from the field and 42.7 percent from three. That perimeter shooting, paired with Fox's incredible burst and ability to get to the rim, made them one of the more dynamic guard duos in the NBA.

And Hield knows that gives him value, either for the Kings and for other teams in the free-agency market.

"I know what I'm worth," he told Anderson. "I know what I bring to the table. I know what my value is. Not many guys can shoot the ball like me in the league. I make other guys better by just being on the court because they can't leave me, and if they leave me it's 45 percent my shot is going in, so I'm sure other teams would like that, too."

But the Kings have future contracts to consider as well. Sacramento has another pending restricted free agent in Bogdan Bogdanovic this offseason, while players like Fox and Marvin Bagley III will be eligible for extensions in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The Kings may be wary of giving Hield a max extension with Fox guaranteed to get one in a year and Bagley a candidate to receive one as well if he lives up to the potential that made him the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft.

Plus, the Kings have the luxury of matching any offers Hield might receive in the offseason as a restricted free agent. But the risk in playing that game is irking Hield and hurting the relationship, perhaps beyond repair. 

So the next week will be interesting. And if the Kings and Hield don't agree on an extension, there will be no shortage of scrutiny regarding that relationship this season.

   

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