The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Buddy Hield concluded his contract negotiations with the Sacramento Kings and reached the most lucrative deal ever signed by any Bahamian athlete.

The fourth-year guard agreed to a four-year, $94 million contract extension, according the ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Loaded with bonuses, the deal includes $86 million in base guaranteed money and the remainder based on performance-based incentives.

The first stage of incentives Hield has to reach for the $8 million dollar bonus have been described as “exceedingly reachable” (finish in the top 10 in the league in three-point percentage).

Other season benchmarks could see the deal reach as much as $106 million over the course of the four years.

“Agent Brandon Rosenthal of Landmark Sports and Kings general manager Vlade Divac finalised details on the rookie-scale extension late into Sunday night in Sacramento, just hours ahead of the 6pm ET Monday deadline for players from the draft class of 2016 to complete a deal,” Wojnarowski said.

Hield was one of two players in the league last season to hit more than 250 three pointers while making over 40 per cent of his attempts. The other was Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors.

Had the sides not reached the deal, Hield could have become a restricted free agent next summer.

Hield was set to enter the final year of his rookie contract (four-year, $15.9-million) and was eligible for a rookie scale contract extension (up to $158.1 million over five years).

Hield was reportedly seeking a contract in the range of $110 million, and was outspoken after the Kings initially offered a four-year, $90 million deal. Hield insisted he was not necessarily seeking a max contract, but something closer to his perceived value on the open market.

“It’s not always about ‘less than the max.’ It’s just, like, something that is reasonable, whereas it’s not an insult. Whereas we respect each other enough to come to an agreement,” he said following the preseason finale.

The Kings recently offered backup guard Bogdan Bogdanovic a four-year $51 million deal which remains unsigned. Third year point guard De’Aaron Fox will be eligible for his max extension next year and 2018’s second overall pick, Marvin Bagley, the following year.

The Kings’ offseason signings were highlighted by an extension of forward Harrison Barnes, 4 years $85 million.

In his third season, Hield averaged 20.7 points on 46 per cent from the floor, 43 per cent shooting from three-point range and 88 per cent shooting from the free throw line. He also averaged 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists in just over 32 minutes per game.

Hield has now made more three-point field goals than any other player in NBA history through their first three seasons in the league with 602.

His season total of 278 three-pointers ranks No.7 all-time for a single season and moved him ahead of Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors with 276 in 2016.

Hield also set the Kings’ single-season three-point field goals record this season when he surpassed Peja Stojakovic’s mark of 240.

During his season of milestones, Hield also made his debut in the MTN Dew Three-Point Shootout at NBA All-Star Weekend.

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