Buddy Hield to the Lakers? 3 ways Hield can help the Lakers
Trade Scenario
- The Sacramento Kings receive SG/SF Danny Green, C JaVale McGee, SF/SG Talen Horton-Tucker, and the 28th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
- The Los Angeles Lakers receive SG Buddy Hield
For a player that seemingly wants out, the Sacramento Kings get a relatively good return for the disgruntled Hield.
Danny Green while not the same scorer as Hield, offers significantly better defense and when in form, is a borderline elite 3-point shooter. The genius of Danny Green is that he is an ideal complementary piece who isn’t going to impede on the main players getting their shots off. He is more than happy to spot up in the corner and make wide-open shots while also hustling in transition.
Greens contract also gives the Kings significant cap space in the summer of 2021 if they want to be players in free agency. An ideal scenario in case Head Coach Luke Walton is relieved of his duties next season.
JaVale McGee offers excellent insurance for the Sacramento Kings with PF/C Marvin Bagley III succumbing to numerous injuries during his young NBA career.
Bagley is undoubtedly an excellent talent, he has been very unlucky with injuries to begin his career. If he can slowly be brought back into the fold with the Kings were they allow him to work on his body and build from the ground up to allow for a steady foundation.
Adding JaVale McGee to the mix allows for Bagley to heal up properly and not rush back.
In McGee, the Kings get a respected veteran who has won two championships with the Warriors (potentially a 3rd with the Lakers) and is a great teammate.
McGee gives the Kings a player who has no problem starting or coming off the bench and being equally effective. This is ideal for when Bagley comes back as McGee will be sent to the bench and still be able to play at a good level.
His playoff experience, his rebounding, his floor running, his shot-blocking ability and his ability as a lob threat give the Kings a useful player to have on the roster.
His contract also coincides with Danny Green’s meaning that the Kings would roughly have $20m in cap space if they decide to move on from both guys in the summer of 2021.
Talen Horton-Tucker offers the Kings an interesting prospect who in his short spurts with the purple and gold has looked a really exciting prospect.
With a monstrous wingspan, THT has gotten minor time with the Lakers due to their focus being on giving veterans more time on the floor.
In the bubble, Horton-Tucker was given time to play and really staked a claim to be part of the playoff rotation in his limited time on the floor.
His ability to score in the paint, make the extra pass, grab rebounds and steal the ball makes him an interesting prospect going forward.
The Kings, while they are looking to be a playoff team are still in a rebuild of sorts meaning that THT with the Kings gives him a chance to get minutes.
The 28th overall pick is a throw-in which gives the Kings another swing at landing a player that might help their roster going forward. They could even use the pieces the Lakers have given them to move up in the draft.
They currently have the 12th pick in the draft, if they could trade 12,28 and a piece for say the 9th pick and land Devin Vassell, who can be a useful piece for the Kings moving forward.
This trade would give the Kings experienced players in the short term and young prospects on cheap contracts in the long term. They get out from under Hields contract by 2021 and will be paying a fraction of the money to his replacement.
A win-win situation for the Kings and Lakers.
So what does Buddy Hield offer the Lakers? Here are 3 things that Hield offers the purple and gold.