Why Sacramento Kings Do This Trade
The Sacramento Kings would likely be happy with a return like this for Buddy Hield. The four-year, $94 million extensions they agreed to is something they have been trying to get out from under as he has struggled to live up to the contract’s expectations since signing the deal in 2019.
In this deal, the Kings are accomplishing a lot of what they needed to do. Trading Hield will open up the logjam they have created in the backcourt. With their last two first-round picks being used on point guards Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell, and with De’Aaron Fox already in place as the starting point guard, many two-point guard lineups were used.
As a result, Hield was playing out of position on the wing. The acquisition of Josh Hart would help balance out the team’s roster, as he could slide right into Hield’s starting spot.
While Hart doesn’t offer the floor spacing or 3-point shooting that Buddy Hield does, he is a huge improvement in other areas. Hart is as good as they come for a rebounding wing player, as he averaged a career-high 8.0 per game this past season.
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His defense is what would really benefit the Kings. Sacramento recorded the worst defensive rating in NBA history during the 2020-21 season. Hart would help turn that around immediately with his ability to defend three positions well. In some scenarios, he can even defend power forwards.
Tomas Satoransky is a solid combo guard that can provide spot minutes at either point guard or shooting guard. Standing 6’7”, he can play alongside any of the guards in the rotation.
The 2022 second-round pick likely won’t be very high, as the Utah Jazz looks like one of the better teams in the NBA again. But that will give the Kings some more assets if they are looking to swing other trades.
