The Sacramento Kings have been waiting for the big news, and it finally dropped. Zack LaVine has picked up his nearly $49 million player option. While that means he remains a King for now, that doesn't mean that he's not on the trading block. This offseason saga is far from over.
LaVine has become a symbol of the rebuild, just not in a good way. While he is a great shooter, his weakness on defense has become the defining part of his game on the Kings. Simply put, he doesn't fit the rebuild being shepherded by Scott Perry and the defense being built by Doug Christie.
More than that, LaVine's high salary has become an issue for the Kings as it is preventing them from making bigger moves. Some hoped that he wouldn't sign his player option for 2026-2027, but that was hopeful at best. He was always going to take it because it makes financial sense.
If he tried the open market, the likelihood of his finding a team willing to pay him more than $20 million per season was nearly zero. The Kings are still trying to trade him, so this player option guarantees him a $49 million payday wherever he ends up playing this season.
LaVine will end 2026-2027 in a different jersey
Sacramento has been trying to move LaVine for over a year now. There has been minimal interest from other teams, such as the Bucks, but no one has been willing to commit. Any team who signs him has to really want him, as they will be overpaying LaVine for at least one season at this point.
It would be good for the Kings if they could get him off the books before the next season starts. That would give Sacramento a bit more freedom to make some moves in free agency. While it's possible a team like the Bucks will decide to bring him in, there is a good chance it won't happen right away.
The Kings have to prepare for an outcome where they don't move LaVine until the 2027 Trade Deadline. At that point, there will only be a few months and a lot less money left on his contract. That will make trading LaVine a lot more viable. There is, of course, a third route this can all go.
LaVine could end up on the Kings' roster throughout 2026-2027 until he becomes a free agent in the next offseason. It's obviously not the Kings' preferred option, but there is a real chance that could happen. Regardless, the plan is to trade LaVine this offseason, which will hopefully happen.
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