Kings Take Clear Stance With Zach LaVine's Future in Sacramento

The Sacramento Kings were certainly hoping that their 2026 offseason would play out differently, but they are trying to make things work. Zach LaVine opted into his $49 million player option for the 2026-27 season, putting the Kings in a tough spot, but it is certainly not the end of the world.

The Kings would've loved for the two-time All-Star to decline his player option and hit the open market, getting his expensive contract off their books, but he is stuck in Sacramento for now.

After the Kings waived veteran wing DeMar DeRozan, there was some speculation that they would also look to buy out LaVine for a full reset, but that is unlikely. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Kings are not looking to buy out LaVine and are simply hoping that he can use the 2026-27 season to improve his trade value ahead of February's deadline.

"I have not heard Zach LaVine as a buyout candidate," Fischer said on a Bleacher Report live stream. "To my understanding, the Kings are hoping that LaVine, now in the final year of his deal, could play his way to being a trade candidate in February by the deadline. They're hoping for that far more than looking at him being a buyout guy. ... There's no plans for now to part ways with LaVine."

The Kings have zero plans to buy out Zach LaVine, per @JakeLFischer

(Via @BleacherReport ) pic.twitter.com/NqQ5dCYmZK
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 7, 2026

With LaVine not viewed as a buyout candidate, they could potentially look to trade him, but there is one major problem with that: who would want him? LaVine is a very challenging player to find a trade suitor for without attaching more valuable assets in a potential deal, making it pointless for the Kings to even explore those avenues.

The Kings are much better off simply waiting until February's deadline, when teams will be more enticed to take on his expiring contract, or waiting for him to become a free agent in the 2027 offseason.

Can LaVine bounce back?

Feb 4, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) during a free throw in the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Golden 1 Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

By keeping him in Sacramento for the time being, the Kings can hope that he bounces back. Granted, there is a fair chance he is much better next season than he has been since coming to Sacramento.

For starters, LaVine is no longer sharing the floor with DeRozan. While both are very talented players, they have now proven on two different franchises that they cannot coexist and play winning basketball.

LaVine has had one lone 42-game stretch in the past five years when he was not teammates with DeRozan, and he averaged 24.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game in that span, while shooting 51.1% from the field and 44.6% from three-point range. With DeRozan off the Kings, we could see that version of LaVine return.

While a backcourt of LaVine and Darius Acuff Jr. raises far too many defensive concerns to be trusted, there is no doubt that they will be lethal offensively. At the very least, the Kings could be a fun team to watch next season, and if LaVine plays well enough, we should see the franchise finally part with the overpaid star by February. And, if not, it is not the end of the world if the Kings have to wait to see him go until he is a free agent.

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