Buddy Hield is one of the best 3PT shooters in the NBA. For the 2021 season, he is only behind Stephen Curry in total 3PT shots made with 143. He is also currently shooting 37.9% from beyond the arc on 9.7 attempts. It is clear that he is deadly beyond the arc, and he only needs a few shots to get hot.
While he is currently a member of the Sacramento Kings, there was definitely a possibility for Buddy Hield to get moved prior to the start of this season. There were reports that the Kings and the Lakers were close to agreeing on a trade that would send Hield to Los Angeles in exchange for Kyle Kuzma.
In a recent interview with Mark Medina of NBA.com, Buddy Hield revealed that he wasn’t bothered by the failed trade. He shared that he’s happy as long as he has “a job” in the NBA, and added that “you have to live with” this aspect of being a basketball player. Buddy Hield also claimed that a Lakers trade did feel close to happening.
“It’s basketball. If it happened, it happened. If it didn’t, it didn’t,” Hield told NBA.com. “But it’s basketball, and you have to live with it. It’s the business side of it. At the end of the day, I still have a job. I can go to all 30 teams in the league. As long as I have a job, I’m happy.”
The Kings talked to the Lakers about dealing Hield in exchange for Kyle Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell. Instead, the Lakers dealt those assets in addition to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and future Draft picks to the Washington Wizards for Russell Westbrook.
Did it feel close that Hield would play for the Lakers?
“It did,” Hield said. “Talking to my agents and the media, of course. The media knows more than the agent and team, basically. But it didn’t happen. So, I’m still here. I’m still in the league and have an opportunity to play basketball. That’s the fun about it.”
There is no doubt that Buddy Hield is right in admitting that trades are part of the business and that there’s no reason to dwell on it. Buddy Hield is still playing well for the Kings, and that’s what matters.
The Sacramento Kings haven’t had the best season, but they are currently the 10th seed in the Western Conference, which puts them in a position to be in the play-in tournament. There is a chance that they could break their playoff drought if they make, and then win the tournament, and Buddy Hield playing well will be crucial if that is to happen.
