For fans of the Sacramento Kings, they may be experiencing a bit of deja vu thanks to Zach LaVine. Much like the 2025-2026 season, he's gotten off to a hot start shooting. But in 2026-2027, that's more about making an impression on the rest of the league than picking up wins for the Kings.
There's no question that LaVine is a bit of a conundrum. He's a shooter's shooter with incredible range and was once considered one of the most elite dunkers in the league. The other side of that is all of that talent and skill hasn't led to much success in the NBA, personal or otherwise.
LaVine's biggest accomplishments are being a two-time All-Star as well as a two-time Slam Dunk Contest Champion. Beyond that, he hasn't picked up any individual end of season awards, scoring titles, conference championships, or NBA championships. That's not all on him, of course.
Now in his 13th season, LaVine has never played for a real contender, and it's safe to say that the Kings aren't getting him there this season. As such, LaVine has to prove to the league that he has what it takes to help an existing contender climb the mountain. That's who he's shooting for.
LaVine is smart to plan for his next team
The Kings are only three games into the regular season, and their situation is already rather grim. They've lost all three games in addition to being the only team in the league who lost all of their preseason games. On top of that, Sacramento has several players out with various injuries.
On the other hand, LaVine is shooting reasonably well. He's averaging 29.0 points per game on 49.2% from the field. That being said, he shot the lights out to open last season as well, only to have that fall off rather dramatically as his minutes fluctuated and Sacramento's injury plague caught up with him.
LaVine is aware that his contract with the Kings is up at the end of this season, assuming the Kings' don't trade him first, and he's most likely leaving Sacramento. He has to keep this pace up so that he can find another berth, hopefully on a team with stronger championship prospects right now.
As the same time, any drop off will harm those chances. By the time the next offseason rolls around, LaVine will by 32 and entering the final stages of his NBA career. If he's not still dropping 25.0+ points per game when this season ends, his only choices will be NOLA, Sactown, or Brooklyn.
Add us as a preferred source on Google