NBA Trade Talk: Five possible deals for struggling shooting guard Buddy Hield

Following the Sacramento Kings’ final game of the season, The Bee’s Jason Anderson asked Buddy Hield if he was content with his role on the team.

“Y’all know me,” Hield told Anderson. “Y’all know how I talk. Y’all know how I feel. Y’all can read me well, so I’ll let y’all answer that yourselves.”

Hield lost his starting job in January and was a nonfactor in the return to play earlier this month. He averaged just over 20 minutes per game in the bubble before the Kings were eliminated from playoff contention.

While Hield did not request a trade or demand a return to the starting lineup, his cryptic answer can be paired with sourced reporting throughout the season to suggest a move could be coming.

So, what trades would make sense? Could the Kings get a good return for Hield? If he were to be traded, where would he go?

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Sacramento gets: Tobias Harris

Philadelphia gets: Hield, Jabari Parker

Adding Harris would address the Kings’ need at forward while adding a big-name player that normally wouldn’t be accessible to a smaller market like Sacramento. Harris averaged 19.4 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 39.3% from deep in his last three seasons. He could push for an All-Star appearance.

However, big names cost big money. Harris is locked in at $149 million over the next four years. If the Kings want to rebuild again, this contract would make that nearly impossible. Philadelphia, on the other hand, might jump at the opportunity to lighten its salary while adding an elite shooter to play next to Ben Simmons.

INDIANA PACERS

Sacramento gets: Myles Turner, Jeremy Lamb

Indiana gets: Hield, Nemanja Bjelica

Most of Turner’s appeal for the Kings is how perfectly he would fit alongside Marvin Bagley in the frontcourt. Sacramento signed Dewayne Dedmon for his rare combination of 3-point shooting and rim protection. The plan went awry, but it was smart move in theory. Turner is far better at both skills, and he could succeed where Dedmon failed.

Normally, centers as modern as Turner are not available. But Indiana has struggled to find the right role for him with the emergence of All-Star Domantas Sabonis. Bjelica could help ease the transition by replacing Turner’s stretch ability, and Hield would be a major upgrade to Lamb on the wing.

ORLANDO MAGIC

Sacramento gets: Aaron Gordon

Orlando gets: Hield

Sacramento’s ideal trade partner would be a team rich with big men but thin on guards. Orlando is the best bet. The Magic haven’t spent a first round draft pick on a guard since 2014. Investing in Hield would balance out the roster and add shooting around Markelle Fultz.

Gordon could pair well with any of Bagley, Harrison Barnes or Richaun Holmes for the Kings. He would bring an increased defensive presence and more size to the starting lineup. This move would leave the Kings with five clear starters that do not overlap with one another. Chemistry could improve with the logjam at shooting guard gone.

DALLAS MAVERICKS

Sacramento gets: Pick No. 18, Tim Hardaway Jr.

Dallas gets: Hield

This trade is all about the pick, though Hardaway provides a nice temporary placeholder for Hield’s role. His contract expires after next season, which would give the Kings more financial flexibility. While there are no guarantees with draft picks, Sacramento could start to reform its identity with the pick.

The Mavericks do not need more primary offensive options with Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis on the roster. Hield would be a perfect fit as a floor spacing option. His 3-point shot would be devastating to defenses that have to focus on the lethal drive-and-kick ability of Doncic.

NEW YORK KNICKS

Sacramento gets: Pick No. 27, Kevin Knox, Frank Ntilikina, Dennis Smith Jr.

New York gets: Buddy Hield

This is the grab bag approach. If Hield’s time is up in Sacramento, it could signal a full rebuild. While there is no high-level asset in this package from New York, the Kings could take a group of lesser pieces and hope one or two work out in the long run. Adding four players under 23 years old would also make it easier to trade other veterans away.

Hield may not be the big name the Knicks have coveted for years, but he also might be as close as they can get. His contract is large, but not so large that it limits New York’s flexibility when it comes to max-contract players in future years. They could make this trade and still have cap space for two superstars in 2021.

IS ANY TRADE LIKELY?

If you are a Kings fan who saw Hield at his very best, this list of hypothetical trades probably makes you feel ill. That’s understandable. Hield’s value is at an all-time low. He went from an exciting piece of the future to a physical representation of the Kings’ mismanagement in just one season.

If Vlade Divac had not stepped down as general manager, I think he would be looking for a trade right now. The ongoing changes in the Kings front office might salvage the situation, but it could also wind up as merely a pause in proceedings. As one league executive told The Bee, the next person in charge might look to move him quickly.

No moves can be made until the start of the new league year in October, and we don’t even know who will be in charge of the team when that date arrives. There is little question, however, that interested teams around the league should ready their best offers over the coming months and be prepared to give the Kings a call about Hield.