Luke Walton says he has ‘very good relationship’ with Buddy Hield

It’s no secret that Luke Walton and Buddy Hield have not always seen eye-to-eye this season, but the former thinks that their relationship is just fine.

In an interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic that ran on Tuesday, the Sacramento Kings coach spoke on his dynamic with the star shooting guard.

“Buddy and I have a very good relationship, and I’ve always been honest with Buddy and he’s always been honest with me in the way that we communicate with each other,” said Walton. “Buddy is an outspoken person, but again, I support that. I don’t always agree with what he’s saying, but I support the fact that he speaks his mind and that’s the personality he is, but it also makes him such a great, unique player.

“[That’s] what allows him to have the success he’s had is because he believes in himself like that,” Walton added about Hield. “I’m totally behind that, and support that, and will continue to work on our relationship on and off the court. But yeah, we get along. We get along just fine.”

Walton, who is in his first year coaching the Kings, moved Hield to the bench in late January and has kept him in that second unit role ever since. The 27-year-old was unhappy about the move but has responded by averaging 19.4 points per game on a smoldering 47.6 percent from deep as a sixth man.

While Hield has also drawn the ire of Sacramento’s own fans this season, he appears to have gotten over any feelings of resentment to come to accept both his new role and his new head coach.