The Sacramento Kings have already caught a lot of flak for trading DeMarcus Cousins away for Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, and a top-3 protected first-rounder. But what if I told you that the Kings were actually getting the next Stephen Curry in return? The deal wouldn’t seem so lopsided then, would it? That’s what Kings owner Vivek Ranadive is hoping for:
Source familiar w/ Kings’ thinking: "Vivek thinks Buddy [Hield] has Steph Curry potential.” Am told that fixation was a key driver in deal.
— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) February 20, 2017
ESPN’s Zach Lowe and Brian Windhorst gave a similar report on Ranadive’s hopes for Hield on Lowe’s podcast The Lowe Post on Monday.
At Oklahoma, Hield was a terrific scorer. During his senior season, he averaged 25 points per game and shot 45.7 percent from three-point range. He also attempted nearly nine three-pointers per game. Hield was named Naismith College Player of the Year and was selected sixth overall in the 2016 Draft.
Hield’s success in college hasn’t quite translated to the pro level yet; he has averaged 8.6 points per game on a respectable but unimpressive 36.9 percent three-point shooting clip. He has also shot just 39.2 percent from the field.
Hield has a nice looking stroke, and he can probably be a very good NBA player. It’s not a sure thing, though. And him turning into Stephen Curry – the greatest shooter in NBA history who has won back-to-back MVP awards – is far less of a sure thing.
