Thanks to a left ankle sprain, Zach LaVine has missed the last few games for the Sacramento Kings. If he makes a return, the question remains of what Doug Christie will do with him. So far this season, the head coach has pushed against the grain with LaVine, and it has not worked out well for anyone.
According to a league source, Zach LaVine, who has missed the last three games due to a left ankle sprain, is progressing in his rehabilitation and will be re-evaluated in approximately one week. His status will be updated as appropriate.
— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) December 24, 2025
The Kings have been having huge problems with injuries since the preseason. Currently, Zach LaVine, Drew Eubanks, and Domantas Sabonis are all on the shelf. In addition to that, Keegan Murray had to leave their last game in the first half due to a right calf injury.
Sabonis will be re-evaluated in a month or so, but he may not return to the NBA in a Kings' jersey. Sacramento has been openly shopping him around and very much wants to trade the All-Star center. The same is true of LaVine, who the Kings are also ready to hear offers on.
LaVine's injury isn't as severe as Sabonis's, so it's likely he'll be back in the lineup for the Kings in early January. The problem is what head coach Doug Christie will ask of the renowned shooter. So far this season, Christie and LaVine seem to be having problems coexisting.
Let LaVine off the leash
To be fair, it's not just LaVine. Many of the league veterans on the Kings have reportedly had issues with Christie and his style of coaching. The core of the problem is likely his focus on defense above all else, which makes sense to an extent. Sacramento really needs to work on its defense.
Since day one of this season, the fact that many of the players on the roster are not defenders has been a concern. It's especially a problem for the aforementioned league veterans, many of whom have been playing their game their way for years and aren't going to change much now.
This is rather evident with LaVine, who is a shooter's shooter and isn't much of a defender. Christie seems to be somewhat limiting his shot attempts as the offense frequently bypasses LaVine. Plus, the constant pressure to play against his strengths is likely messing with Zach's head a bit.
If Christie wants LaVine at his best, let him shoot. That's where he excels. Plus, Christie has players like Precious Achiuwa, Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder, Keegan Murray, and the Kings' rookie trio to pick up the defensive slack. When he returns, just let LaVine be LaVine and watch him cook.