#4 Buddy Hield
After the lucrative contract made sure that Buddy Hield was the franchise cornerstone, the Sacramento Kings star has not disappointed in his approach this season. Leading a side plagued by injuries, Hield is scoring at a career-best rate of 21.6 points per game, on 38% shooting from the three-point line.
Playing over 34 minutes per contest, the 27-year-old has been a one-man scoring machine for Sacramento. Moreover, the talent level on the Kings roster is at par for a legit playoff team, and Hield adds the veteran finesse to close games down the stretch.
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Despite things not going Sacramento's way lately, Hield's individual stats are the one positive keeping them afloat at the moment.
#3 Zach LaVine
Of all the young players leading their franchises out of trouble, Zach LaVine arguably possesses the highest ceiling as a basketball player. He is currently putting together a second straight season of scoring over 23 points per game.
His will to be the man for his team at just 24 years of age, shows his All-Star caliber. And LaVine backs his grit with elite scoring prowess.
He is shooting at a career-high conversion rate of 41% from beyond the arc and has made 89 three-pointers (6th best in the league) so far this season.
Zach has put in extensive work into taking his game to the next level on both ends of the floor, and it shows. He is recording 1.3 steals per game - which is a personal career-best - and his defensive intensity is only getting healthier with every passing game.
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