Sacramento Kings: 3 key questions answered in the 2018-19 NBA season

2. Buddy Hield is here to stay

Hield was the center of all jokes when the Kings traded DeMarcus Cousins to acquire him in 2017. The Kings presumably got robbed in the trade, giving away a franchise center for a rookie that was already labeled as mediocre.

As the 2018-19 season approached, many wondered if Hield would give the Kings a lift off the bench or if he would crack the starting lineup.

The third-year guard proved that he’s much more than a bench player, starting in all 82 games as he averaged a career-high 20.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while canning 42.7 percent of his 7.9 3-pointers per game. He played a huge role in helping the Kings become one of the biggest surprises of the year, and now it’s clear that Hield will be a big part of the Kings’ future.