Kings' Zach LaVine Gives Unclear Update on $49 Million Decision

One of the biggest turning points for the Sacramento Kings, which people can look at when explaining what went wrong ahead of their disastrous 22-60 season, is when they traded De'Aaron Fox in a three-team deal to bring in Zach LaVine.

Do the Kings wish they were stuck paying Fox $229 million through 2030? Of course not. But acquiring LaVine put them in a tough position. LaVine has been on one of the NBA's worst contracts, a five-year, $215 million deal, but we are finally heading into the fifth year of his contract, which is a player option worth $49 million.

With reports suggesting LaVine will opt into the player option, the two-time All-Star addressed the upcoming decision during his exit interview on Monday, but gave an unclear answer.

"I have a lot of control. I’ll go back and talk to my representative and figure out what’s the best course of action. I think that goes along with him as 'what’s most important to you right now and what makes sense?' Obviously, having a player option is a good thing in my camp. We’ll go back and look at everything, look at all the scenarios, watch the playoffs, and see what happens," LaVine said.

Keep in mind, this was LaVine's answer when asked if Sacramento is a place he sees himself staying in the long-term. Of course, he is not expected to leave $49 million on the table by hitting free agency this summer, but that still does not mean he will be in Sacramento by the start of the 2026-27 season.

LaVine's uncertain future

With no real word on whether he wants to stay in Sacramento, LaVine is keeping fans wondering what is next for him. When asked what his priorities are moving forward, LaVine made it clear that he wants to win.

"I mean, where I'm at in my career, we want to win. I'll speak for myself, obviously," LaVine said. "It wasn't the year we wanted, and it wasn't the year I wanted individually. But, you know, take the cards that you're dealt and you keep moving forward. ... You go into the offseason, reevaluate, and you go from there."

Feb 6, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) drives to the basket against Los Angeles Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. (5) during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

LaVine has been involved in trade rumors since last offseason, but of course, no deal was made. This summer, however, could be much different.

Even if LaVine opts into his player option, as expected, the Kings could have the option to trade him. An offensive player of his caliber on an expiring deal could entice a few teams across the league to engage in talks with Scott Perry, especially if he seems willing to sign a team-friendly contract extension with whatever franchise might want him.

LaVine is making the right decision by heading into the offseason with his options open, but it would be shocking if he walked away from $49 million, just because he does not want to play for the Kings for another season. The deadline for his player option is June 29, so he has plenty of time to evaluate his future.

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