With Zach LaVine taking his player option, trading him has become more difficult than ever for the Sacramento Kings. He is, without question, being drastically overpaid. That means the Kings will have to include other assets to move him, something that could be incredibly damaging in the long run.
Whenever I write an article about LaVine, it feels like I'm bashing him. That's not the goal. He might not be a great playmaker or much on defense, but the man is an impressive shooter. If a team focuses on that part of his game and sets him up for success, he can be a real asset to the roster.
The problem is that the Kings want something different. Sure, they need shooters, but they also need those shooters to be able to play defense reasonably well. Head coach Doug Christie is building a defense-first team, and LaVine doesn't fit that. Situations like this happen frequently in pro sports.
As such, the Kings want to trade LaVine, and he probably wants a trade as badly as DeMar DeRozan. The problem is that LaVine has one year left on his contract worth nearly $49 million. His value as a player is closer to $20 million, which is keeping interested teams from seriously going after him.
The Kings should just keep LaVine and their trade capital
Reportedly, both the Detroit Pistons and the Miami Heat are interested in LaVine's shooting and the floor spacing he provides. This would be especially important for the Heat. They just gutted their depth to get Giannis Antetokounmpo, which is a problem they need to deal with.
As it stands right now, neither team is likely to take LaVine at this cost without significant additional compensation from the Kings. That could come in the form of adding in more players or several draft picks. It seems odd, but convincing a team to take a $20 million player for $49 million isn't easy.
None of that is good for the Kings. They are slowly building the roster they need for the rebuild, and shouldn't let that go just to move LaVine. On top of that, they've given up most, if not all, of their second-round picks through 2031. That means they have to start trading first-round picks.
All of these prices are too high to pay just to get LaVine out the door now. The Kings are better off keeping the resources they have and being patient on LaVine. It will be easier to move him at the 2027 Trade Deadline or just let his contract time out. Don't give up the rebuild on a rash move.
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