Cleared for takeoff.
Buddy Hield was a late arrival into the Orlando bubble, but he’s cleared all of the NBA’s safety protocols and according to coach Luke Walton, the Kings’ second-leading scorer already is on the practice court participating without restrictions.
“Buddy’s a full go right now,” Walton said.
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Hield tested positive for the coronavirus around June 21. He instantly quarantined in Sacramento and made his way to the Orlando bubble earlier this week.
The 27-year-old shooting guard is averaging 19.8 points on 39.5 percent shooting from behind the arc this season. Since January 1, he’s shooting 44 percent from 3-point range and has established himself as one of the better long-range marksmen in the NBA.
[RELATED: Kings hopeful De'Aaron Fox will return from 'mild to moderate' ankle sprain]
Hield wasn’t alone when he arrived in the bubble. Seldom-used forward Jabari Parker also made the trip and the pair cleared protocol together.
NBA
According to Walton, Parker is behind Hield in his progress. The team is looking to get him back into contact drills by Sunday or Monday.
Parker could become an interesting option for Walton and his staff if Harrison Barnes can’t make it back in time for scrimmages or games.
Barnes currently still is back in Sacramento going through the league’s coronavirus protocol after testing positive over the Fourth of July weekend.
Since coming over to the Kings from the Atlanta Hawks, Parker has played in just one game for Sacramento, posting four points and four rebounds in 15 minutes of action in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Parker, 25, hasn’t played since Feb. 20 and he’s played in a total of two games since Christmas. During his time in the league, he’s proven to be an efficient scoring option, averaging 15 points and 5.8 rebounds over 280 games in his career, but he has some work to do if he hopes to join the Kings’ rotation during the restart.
Getting Hield back in the fold is huge for the Kings’ chances in Orlando, especially with point guard De’Aaron Fox on the shelf. An update on Fox’s condition is expected late next week after he sprained his ankle in practice on Wednesday.