NBA Rumors: Two Former Top Picks Unlikely To End Season With Struggling Kings

It may still be early in the season, but the Sacramento Kings have hardly shown any improvement.

One of them is Buddy Hield. The sixth overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft is a name that most have heard in the NBA rumor mill, but nothing has transpired so far.

However, one unnamed NBA executive feels that the Kings will eventually part ways with the 28-year-old Bahamian.

The said NBA executive recently spoke on HoopsHype and boldly said that Hield is going to be gone.

Hield was linked to the Lakers in a potential deal that would have involved Kyle Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell in the summer.

But as most know, that deal fizzled when the Lakers opted to take in Russell Westbrook instead.

On paper, acquiring Hield would have made sense. But the chance to sign a former MVP and certified All-Star was too hard to pass up.

Some critics feel that the Lakers would have been better off taking Hield since they already have a loaded roster.

Some even criticized that especially during the first few games of the 32-year-old with the Lakers, NBC Sports.

All that has changed with the recent 33-point effort of Westbrook for the Lakers that went on to win against the San Antonio Spurs.

Beyond the said trade, there are other things to consider in the Hield situation. His contract will decrease in value from $23.09 million this season to $21.21 million during the 2022-23 season.

Those numbers dip further in the succeeding years.

For the Kings, that would be good news if they intend to keep the 6-foot-4 guard. But if an NBA trade is planned, they need to do so while Hield’s market value is up.

If a Hield trade does happen, critics feel that Sacramento would be interested in getting a forward in exchange.

Hield is not the only one expected to leave the Kings. Marvin Bagley III is another former top pick likely to be dealt away.

The second overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft is in a spot, playing only one game for Sacramento this season.

Multiple teams are reportedly interested in the 22-year-old center.

But the most glaring thing of them all is the fact that Bagley was never offered a rookie-scale contract extension, clearly showing that the former Duke standout’s time with Sacramento is winding down.