NBA salary cap exercise: What player would every team amnesty?

Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images /
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NBA (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
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Sacramento Kings – Buddy Hield

Whether or not Buddy Hield is the right answer in terms of on-court production this is more of about the relationship with Luke Walton. Given that it is not an option to amnesty the coach and it is unlikely the Kings will want to move on from Walton after one season something has to give here.

Hield is likely moving into a reserve role full time. He did that for 23 games this season and he fits the role perfectly. Unfortunately for him, his contract comes with more expectations than being sixth man. Hield is entering the first season next year in his massive extension that will pay him $24.4 million, $22.5 million, $20.5 million and $18.6 million over the next four seasons.

Related Story. The Sacramento Kings continue to be cursed. light

Harrison Barnes is likely a worse player on a worse contract but he fits the team better and does not have the same issues with the coach, at least publicly. Chemistry is the most important thing for the Kings to get back on track to where they were last season. They looked like they were looking up. Some will blame the Marvin Bagley injury issues and those do not help.

But the issues that knocked this team off the right track were likely Luke Walton’s deficiencies as a head coach. So removing one of the dissenting voices in the room could be an addition by subtraction.