NBA Rumors: Pistons Could Acquire Buddy Hield For ‘Strongly Protected’ First-Rounder, Per ‘Bleacher Report’
With the Sacramento Kings expected to free up salary-cap space in the coming years to re-sign multiple members of their core lineup, a new report suggests that the team could part ways with one of these core players — shooting guard Buddy Hield — and send him to the rebuilding Detroit Pistons for a future first-round draft pick.
As explained by Bleacher Report in a list of trade recommendations that could help some of the NBA’s worst teams, the Kings have some important decisions to make as point guard De’Aaron Fox nears extension eligibility and is expected to command a lucrative asking price in the 2020 offseason. Last summer, both Hield and Harrison Barnes signed long-term contracts valued at more than $20 million per year, but as the outlet noted, the Kings made the unexpected decision to demote Hield and promote Bogdan Bogdanovic to the starting shooting guard role, despite the latter’s impending restricted free agency.
“The Kings need to cut salary, and the Detroit Pistons are in the perfect position to lend a hand after jettisoning Andre Drummond,” Bleacher Report added.
Buddy Hield?
42 PTS on 24 FGA
20 PTS (6-6 FG) in the 4thThe Kings came back from a 27-PT deficit and won by 4!
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 28, 2020
Given the above situation, as well as the reports suggesting that the Kings are hoping to re-sign Bogdanovic this summer and give him a much more attractive deal than the one he turned down last year, Bleacher Report recommended moving Hield to Detroit, in exchange for a “strongly protected” first-round pick in an unspecified future draft. While the publication did not elaborate on what kind of protection may be in place, this could hint at a lottery pick for the Kings, who, per NBC Sports Bay Area, also have to prepare for big man Marvin Bagley III’s extension eligibility in the summer of 2021.
Discussing how Hield could help the Pistons if he gets traded to Detroit, Bleacher Report noted that despite his demotion to the bench, he was averaging 19.8 points per game and shooting 39.5 percent on close to 10 three-point attempts per game at the time the NBA paused its season last month. The outlet added that his ability to create his own offense on the ball could make him a good fit alongside power forward Blake Griffin and point guard Derrick Rose — Detroit’s two most established stars following the trade that sent Andre Drummond to the Cleveland Cavaliers in February.
Due to his current situation in Sacramento, Hield has been linked to a few other teams since it was first reported that the Kings are prioritizing re-signing Bogdanovic in the offseason. Earlier this month, The Inquisitr reported on another trade idea involving the former No. 6 overall draft pick, one that would send him to the division-rival Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for forward Kyle Kuzma.
