Buddy Hield didn’t mince words when talking to media after practice on July 29th.
"It’s an eight-game tournament and we want all the smoke. We're going to compete and try to win this tournament."
His statement comes after numerous snubs and omissions by media outlets that cover the NBA, effectively giving the Kings zero chance to earn the right to fight for the Western Conference’s eighth seed.
Before the hiatus, the Kings had put together one of the best records in the league since the All-Star break, going 7-3, with wins coming over the Trail Blazers in Portland, the Clippers in Los Angeles and the Grizzlies in Sacramento.
Also, No. 24 was putting together another record-setting season in Sactown. Buddy’s 244 three-pointers ranked No. 2 in the NBA, only behind former MVP James Harden.
In the Orlando scrimmages, Hield worked to continue his long range prowess in limited minutes, scoring a team-high 19 points vs Miami and 17 against the Bucks and Clippers.
Confidence was never in question for the Bahamian, whose eyes lit up upon seeing the Orlando gym for the first time. “This is a shooter’s gym, because the backgrounds are so dark,” stated No. 24.
The squad is looking to make waves and put teams and media alike on notice starting with their first game on July 31 against the San Antonio Spurs.