One Thing That Would Make Zach LaVine a Top NBA Trade Target

The Sacramento Kings are now 5-16 on the season after losing their third straight game, and many NBA insiders are preparing for the struggling franchise to get busy ahead of February's trade deadline.

The Kings are reportedly prepared to shop everyone on their roster besides Keegan Murray and Nique Clifford, as guys like Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and Keon Ellis are all expected to garner some value across the league.

LaVine is one of the more interesting trade pieces, as the two-time All-Star is one of the most talented scorers in the NBA, but his huge contract is an automatic turn-off for most opposing teams. However, NBA insider Marc Stein believes that if LaVine were willing to opt out of his $49 million player option next season, he would be a much more valuable trade piece for the Kings.

"Zach LaVine has a player option in 2206-27 that's worth almost $50 million. The rumble there is if he was willing to decline the option and take a longer-term extension at a lesser number, I think there would be some trade interest in Zach LaVine," Stein said on the ALL NBA Podcast.

Zach LaVine's trade value

It has been clear across the league for years that LaVine's trade value is down the drain. Despite being one of the league's top three-point shooters and all-around scorers, the Chicago Bulls spent a couple of years trying to trade away LaVine, and the Kings were ultimately the only team willing to bring him in.

This season, LaVine is averaging 20.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game with 49.1/37.8/85.5 shooting splits, but his performance has been worse than the numbers suggest. Zach LaVine is statistically one of the worst defenders in the NBA this season, and it has gotten to the point where Doug Christie has benched LaVine entirely in crunch time.

Zach LaVine to a Kings fan who told him to “play some defense for once”

“GO HOME B*TCH”

The fan was then removed from the game 😳

(Via @KingCharge)pic.twitter.com/9yHYhbSVeb
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) November 27, 2025

For a player who is far too inconsistent on offense, as he has more games scoring 15 or fewer points than scoring 30 or more this season, and making $47.5 million, LaVine has become a negative asset. However, that could change if he turns down his player option.

While it seems like a terrible decision for LaVine to turn down nearly $50 million next season, it is the best scenario for him to secure a longer-term deal. On top of that, it seems less and less likely that LaVine would even want to be in Sacramento for another season, regardless of whether or not the Kings want to keep him (which they likely don't).

Time will tell what the Kings decide to do with LaVine, but if the two-time All-Star shows willingness to decline his player option for next season, they will have a much easier time sending him to a new team.

Zach LaVine's trade value

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