Zach LaVine is only at the beginning of his first full season with the Sacramento Kings. Being one of the top scorers on the court isn't a surprise. What is surprising is how quickly he has become a leader and mentor to the Kings' young players, making him someone Sacramento cannot afford to trade.
When LaVine joined the Kings as part of the De'Aaron Fox trade, there was some concern as to how he would fit on a team loaded with shooters. Despite that, LaVine remains one of the top scorers on the roster. Now, he's proving to be an integral part of getting the team's new talents up to speed.
Zach LaVine as a mentor
Several of the Kings' rookies have expressed admiration for LaVine. Dylan Cardwell recently stated that he would be happy to act as an enforcer on the court, specifically for Zach LaVine, with whom he has already formed a bond.
"“I love Zach [LaVine] to death, and if anybody fouls him this year, as long as Zach covers my fine, I will go to bat for Zach.”"Dylan Cardwell
Nique Clifford has also discussed his growing mentorship with Zach LaVine and the influence the veteran is having on him. Much like Cardwell, Clifford performed particularly well in his first preseason game. It wouldn't be a stretch to suggest LaVine had a positive impact on that debut.
LaVine's leadership in the Kings' future
The future of the Sacramento Kings is not Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, or Dennis Schroder. They are players who are moving towards the end of their careers or at least the end of their time in Sacramento. Schroder needs to improve quickly if he doesn't want to be part of a midseason trade.
While he's still in the early stages of his time in Sacramento, LaVine has quickly established himself as a team leader and mentor to the younger players who are the future of the franchise. That will be huge for the front office as they try to figure out what's next for Sacramento.
Sabonis isn't number one
Domantas Sabonis is playing a similar role, albeit specifically with rookie big man Maxime Raynaud. That is important, but it doesn't feel like he's filling the same role as a team and locker room leader to such a wide swath of the next generation of Kings.
For that reason, LaVine needs to be kept on the roster, more so than any other veteran. It's already incredibly likely that the Kings will make some big moves at this season's trade deadline. If the rookies are already starting to rally around LaVine, the Kings cannot afford to give him up at any price.