Buddy Hield isn't happy with Kings' offer: 'If they don't want me here, I'll find somewhere else'
Buddy Hield and the Sacramento Kings appear to have reached a stalemate in contract extension negotiations. Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reported on Wednesday that the Kings made a four-year, $90 million offer to Hield, who feels he’s worth more than that. He and his agent are reportedly seeking an extension in the $110 million range, which puts the two parties $20 million apart.
Hield isn’t budging from his price, but he’s still disappointed by what the Kings are offering. After Wednesday night’s preseason game against Melbourne United, Hield spoke to reporters and got emotional when talking about the extension situation.
Kings guard Buddy Hield is taking these contract talks very personally. In an emotional postgame interview, he talked about “finding another home” if the team doesn’t get a deal done by Monday’s deadline. pic.twitter.com/sEkJEZfNkS
— Jason Anderson (@JandersonSacBee) October 17, 2019
"If it don't get done ... then me and my team will look somewhere else ... probably another home. ... I love Sacramento, but if they don’t want me here and they don’t feel like I’m part of the core ... I like respect and loyalty, and I feel like I’m part of the group that’s getting the team back to where it needs to be ... but if they don’t want me here, I’ll find somewhere else.”
Hield spoke to the Sacramento Bee after addressing the larger group of reporters and revealed even more of his feelings about the contract negotiations and the Kings’ reported offer.
“I see it like an insult. I feel like I’m worth more than that. If you say I’m your guy and you want to build around me, I just need you to show it. Actions speak louder than words. If you’re just talking and not showing nothing, I’m not going to respect it. I love playing here. I want to be here. This is my home. I’m trying to buy a house here, but everything is on stall mode because I don’t know if they’ll really commit to me.”
Hield is laying it all on the table in a way that players rarely do. He wants to stay with Sacramento and he’s not shy about saying it, or telling the media how the Kings’ reported offer has made him feel. But even though he wants to stay, he’s not willing to compromise his worth — he knows how valuable he is to the Kings, and how valuable he could be to another team.
The deadline for the Kings to ink Hield is Monday, so both parties are running out of time to get this done. If they don’t reach an agreement on a contract extension, it doesn’t necessarily mean Hield’s time with the Kings is coming to an end. The team would still have a chance to sign him next summer, but as a restricted free agent — meaning they’d have to fight off other teams vying for Hield’s talents.
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