As the Sacramento Kings near the beginning of their fire sale, potential trade rumors are swirling. That includes the potential interest of the Milwaukee Bucks in Kings' shooter Zach LaVine. It's an interesting idea that could pan out for both sides if it goes through.
While the current roster of Kings has been picking up steam since Keegan Murray returned and Domantas Sabonis was injured, Sacramento is a long way from being a contender. This crew will need some significant rebalancing for depth and defensive focus.
If the front office can find a suitor, Sabonis will definitely be traded. The LA Clippers are reputedly showing interest in trading for DeMar DeRozan. Beyond that, the Kings are open to any reasonable offer for basically anyone on the team. That includes Zach LaVine.
Zach LaVine returns to the northeast
As a part of the trade that sent De'Aaron Fox to the Spurs, Zach LaVine left the Bulls for the Kings. Honestly, he hasn't seemed to happy about the move. It's possible he just misses the cold winter breeze coming off Lake Michigan. Fortunately, the good people of Milwaukee are here to help.
The Bucks are rumored to have been doing their "due diligence" on LaVine. If that's true, they are likely looking for a strong shooter to ride shotgun with their long-time star Giannis Antetokounmpo. LaVine definitely could be that shooter.
While Zach isn't a great passer and doesn't play super effective defense, there's no doubt the man can shoot. He has, for the most part, been one of the more reliable parts of the Kings' offense this season, particularly in the first few games.
How this works for the Kings
Keeping in mind this is a rumor at best, it's a tough trade to work out. LaVine has a pricey contract and the Bucks' only real trade options don't come close. This is an issue the Kings will keep running into as at least three of their 'top stars' are overpaid.
Some combination of Kyle Kuzma, Cole Anthony, Bobby Portis, and Ryan Rollins might work, but that strips the Bucks of their depth for one player. They also don't really have any draft picks to sweeten the deal. This trade would likely have to include at least one more team for it to work.
At this point, the Kings will be happy to unload any of these massive contracts for whatever they can get. Still, they don't want to get fleeced and be in a worse position than they already were. Regardless of these rumors, any possible trade for someone like LaVine needs to be explored fully.