Buddy Hield – Sacramento Kings
Kyle Kuzma trade takes have been heating up ever since the Lakers lost their first-round series to the Suns and one of the teams that may have interest in him this offseason is the Sacramento Kings. Nothing has gone right for Sacramento over the years and they could be in need of frontcourt talents moving forward, especially with Richaun Holmes being a free agent this offseason and Marvin Bagley III entering the final year of his contract.
If the Kings want Kuzma, they can probably get him from Los Angeles, but the one player that L.A. would have interest in is Buddy Hield. Kuzma for Hield trade rumors have been going on for a while now, but with the offseason already beginning for both of these teams, this trade is not that bad if you think about it from Los Angeles’ perspective.
During the regular season, the Lakers ranked 21st in three-point shooting percentage and they really do not have guys that you look at on their roster and view as legit three-point threats. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is the only guy that really stands out in this category with everyone else being decent and just okay, but not consistent from deep.
Buddy Hield shot 39.1% from three-point range this season on about 10.2 three-point attempts per game, which ranked him third in the league in three-point attempts per game, and for his career, he has shot 40.6% from three-point range.
READ MORE: NBA Rumors: 3 trade packages the Kings could offer for Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma
When they are healthy, the Lakers are just fine with LeBron James and Anthony Davis being their main facilitators and scorers, but they need some guys that they can feel confident in throwing the ball out to on the perimeter to knock down open shots.
Hield is the perfect match in a LeBron James led offense not only because of his ability to knock down a shot from virtually any position on the court, but because he is confident in his abilities to get to his spots inside the arc as well. Close to 73% of his shots during the 2020-21 season came from the three-point line, but Buddy Hield can get to the rim and finish at a high percentage, as he shot 44.6% on two-point shots this season.
He is owed $61.5M over the next three seasons, which is more than Kuzma’s contract is worth, but Buddy Hield definitely elevates this Lakers’ offense and makes them that much more of a threat to win another title during the 2021-22 season.
