‘Trust issues’: Kings guard Buddy Hield voices frustration after being benched again
The Kings aren’t just fragile right now. They’re broken.
They’re fragmented. They’re lying there in pieces and the edges are getting more jagged by the day. Somebody better find some fast-acting superglue because this thing is falling apart.
Sharp words were spoken after the Kings suffered a 105-104 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in double overtime Thursday night at Golden 1 Center. The Kings lost point guard De’Aaron Fox and forward Marvin Bagley III to injuries again — this time in the same game — and then they lost their fifth in a row to a bad team that broke an 11-game losing streak despite the absence of star center Karl-Anthony Towns.
Kings guard Buddy Hield voiced his frustration in the locker room after the game. He logged only four minutes in the fourth quarter and 1:11 in the first overtime session as the worst shooting slump of his career deepened on a night when he made 6 of 20 from the field and 3 of 11 from 3-point range. Kings coach Luke Walton has benched Hield during key stretches recently because he isn’t hitting shots and he is prone to defensive lapses.
‘Guys stop believing in players’
Hield was asked how the team is holding together in the midst of all its struggles.
“I don’t know,” Hield said. “Seems like we’re all over the place — coaches and everybody. Trust issues going on, I guess. Guys stop believing in players. It is what it is. They have who they have playing out there and I just have to be supportive.”
Hield was then asked to elaborate on the “trust issues.”
“I don’t know,” he said. “I like to be on the court. That’s why I’m on the court, right? I want to make plays, make shots. I feel like I wasn’t trusted the past two games to be on the court.”
Those words will draw the attention of the coaching staff, the front office and a fan base that is fed up after missing the playoffs each of the past 13 years, the longest postseason drought in the NBA. Some will take note and some will take offense, but everyone should take a look in the mirror before they start pointing fingers.
Kings general manager Vlade Divac and the coaching staff should remember Hield was blaming himself as recently as Saturday, when the Kings suffered a 119-115 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, who won despite the absence of Jonas Valanciunas. They should recognize Hield is all heart, fire and emotion. They should continue to place trust in him — and demands upon him — because this team cannot reach its potential without the Bahamian sharpshooter who signed a four-year, $86 million contract extension in October.
Hield should respect Walton
Hield needs to understand and respect his coach’s decisions. He should remember he’s one of the best shooters in the world and act accordingly. He has to recognize that his coaches trust him more than he thinks despite the fact he has made only 7 of 39 (.179) from 3-point range over the past four games.
“His shot will come,” Walton said before the game. “I’m not concerned about it. … If he starts turning down open 3s, then I’ll start worrying about it.”
Walton believes in Hield, maybe more than Hield believes in himself right now. Opponents are throwing double-teams, triple-teams and other tactics at Hield, forcing him to dribble too much and take tough shots.
Walton and Hield need to figure that out together.
“We’re going to keep doing our job trying to get him open and he’s gotta keep doing his job of shooting it,” Walton said. “Buddy’s a great shooter and those will eventually start going in again more often than not.”
Walton even praised Hield for learning to make the right play against defenses that are being designed to stop him.
“He’s done a really nice job of giving good, solid passes out of those double-teams and that was something he was struggling with earlier in the season,” Walton said. “Now, every time he’s getting doubled, he makes the good, solid pass.”
There is common ground here and plenty of room for improvement, but they better figure it out fast. The Kings just started an 11-game stretch that will take them to the midway point and probably define their season. If they go 7-4, they will be 19-22 with a chance to make a run at the playoffs over the second half of the season. If they go 5-6, they will be 17-24 and we can all go back to sizing up the draft lottery.
The Kings started that stretch with a loss to the Timberwolves on Thursday night. That doesn’t bode well for their chances, but they were still only 1 ½ games out of the eighth spot in the Western Conference standings.
The Kings will provide updates Friday regarding Fox, who left the game with back spasms, and Bagley, who hurt his left foot, and then they’ll move forward to prepare for Saturday’s game against the Phoenix Suns. This might be their last chance to salvage the season, but somebody better find the glue that holds this team together quickly because right now they’re falling to pieces.
Kings upcoming schedule
Dec. 28 vs. Phoenix Suns, 6 p.m.
Dec. 31 vs. Los Angeles Clippers, 2 p.m.
Jan. 2 vs. Memphis, 7 p.m.
Jan. 4 vs. New Orleans, 7 p.m.
Jan. 6 vs. Golden State, 7 p.m.
This story was originally published December 27, 2019 at 5:15 AM.
