GET YOUR REVENGE ON YOUR EX-TEAM TONIGHT BUDDY!
Wellp folks, NBA Rivals Week is here, which means the Golden State Warriors get a chance to move above .500 by taking on their Pacific Division rival foes, the Sacramento Kings.
This game also features the return to Sacramento for former King turned Dub Buddy Hield, who has had a season of hot streaks and cold plunges that encapsulate much of what his NBA career has played out as so far.
Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings
When: January 22nd, 2024 | 7:00 PM PT
TV: ESPN, NBC Sports Bay Area
Radio: 95.7 The Game
“It brings out a different competitive juice.”
DeMar DeRozan on tonight’s duel vs. Golden State as part of #NBARivalsWeek
Tipoff is at 10pm/et on ESPN! pic.twitter.com/gGbVIh9Fgr
— NBA (@NBA) January 22, 2025
Catching up with Buddy Hield, as his Warriors make their first trip to Sacramento this season, talking about the struggles of Golden State, his hot-and-cold streak, his time with the Kings & De’Aaron Fox’s rise since they were teammates. pic.twitter.com/w6O1kGBwrj
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) January 22, 2025
The highs and lows of Hield’s career with the Sacramento Kings are as much a story about fit and opportunity as they are about his undeniable skill. Now that Hield has joined the Golden State Warriors this season, it’s a perfect time to reflect on what was and what could be.
Buddy arrived in Sacramento back in 2017 as the headliner of the DeMarcus Cousins trade. The Kings were a rebuilding mess at the time, desperately hoping for a core to coalesce around a dynamic scorer. From day one, Hield looked like the type of player who could help change the Kings’ fortunes. His sweet-shooting stroke and fearless demeanor earned him plenty of love from the fanbase and, for a moment, it seemed like the Kings had found their guy.
But Sacramento being Sacramento, the highs were always accompanied by frustrating lows. Let’s not forget the 2018-19 season when Buddy poured in 20.7 points per game while shooting an insane 42.7% from three. That year, the Kings flirted with a playoff berth, and for the first time in what felt like forever, there was optimism in the air. Hield looked like one of the premier sharpshooters in the league, a weapon who could swing games with his scorching-hot streaks.
And yet, inconsistency soon reared its ugly head, both from Hield and the organization. Questions about his defense, his decision-making, and even his role on the team began to swirl. One moment, Buddy would be lighting it up from deep; the next, he’d be stapled to the bench as Luke Walton rode someone else’s hot hand. It all came to a head in 2020 when Hield publicly expressed frustration with his role, a clear sign that his days in Sacramento were numbered.
Fast forward to 2025, and Buddy finds himself in a completely different situation with the Warriors. Gone are the endless rebuilds and coaching carousels; in their place is a championship culture and a system that could maximize his strengths. Imagine Hield’s shooting flanked by Steph Curry and in theory it’s like adding jet fuel to an already explosive offense. IN THEORY.
The Kings’ highs and lows with Buddy weren’t wasted; they were just mismatched. Now, Hield has a chance to turn the lessons learned in Sacramento into something truly special in the Bay. If he can thrive in the Warriors’ system, it might finally be Buddy Buckets’ time to shine.