#By RENALDO DORSETT
#Tribune Sports Reporter
#rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
#BUDDY Hield concluded the Sacramento Kings’ 2019-20 season with one of his traditional streaky shooting performances and a win over an in-state rival.
#Hield finished with a game high 28 points in a 136-122 win over the Los Angeles Lakers yesterday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.
#He shot 10-17 from the field, including 8-14 from three-point range and added five rebounds in 27 minutes.
#The Kings fell short of the playoffs but ended their eight-game run in the Orlando “bubble” with consecutive wins and a 3-5 record overall. They finished the regular season 31-41 and missed the playoffs for the 14th consecutive season, one shy of the NBA record.
#In 72 games this season, Hield averaged 19.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and three assists per game. He shot 43 per cent from the field and 39 per cent from three-point range.
#A season of highs and lows for the veteran guard began with a contract dispute and featured several milestones on the court.
#In November, Hield concluded his contract negotiations with the Kings and reached the most lucrative deal ever signed by any Bahamian athlete when he agreed to a four-year, $94 million contract extension.
#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).
#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).
#Once play began, the sharpshooting guard emerged as the Kings’ leading scorer in an injury plagued season for the franchise. He made a Kings record 11 threes in a 41 point effort against the Boston Celtics on November 25 and also made nine threes in a January 27 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves when he scored 42.
#Hield made 271 three point field goals this season and moved ahead to No.3 on the Kings’ all-time three point shooting list behind Peja Stojakovic and Mitch Richmond. He became just the third player in NBA history with at least 270 threes in a season. He also has the longest active streak of consecutive games with a made three-point field goal at 66 games.
#Earlier this season, Hield shot 9-10 from beyond the arc in a win over the San Antonio Spurs and became the fastest player in NBA history to make 800 career three-point field goals. He accomplished the feat in just 296 games to surpass the mark set by Stephen Curry, who did it in 305 games.
#In his four-year career, Hield has made more three-point field goals than any other player in his first four NBA seasons with 865.
#He surpassed the previous record of 828 set by Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers.
#Hield started 44 games this season before he was moved to the bench January 24. He continued his production during the All-Star break by becoming the 2020 Mtn Dew Three Point Shootout champion.
#Hield needed a nearly perfect final round to win the title and the Grand Bahama native did just that to highlight his appearance at the league’s All-Star Weekend. He posted a final round of 27 points, and clinched the title on his final shot to defeat the Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker.