Kings Reportedly Blocked Zach LaVine Trade to Eastern Conference Rival

The Sacramento Kings have been openly shopping a handful of their key players before the NBA's trade deadline on February 5th, and two-time All-Star Zach LaVine has been the most likely star to go.

LaVine, 30, is one of the league's premier three-point threats and a high-level offensive talent, but his big contract and lack of defense will likely draw many teams away as the Kings shop him. Still, some teams are likely interested, and the Atlanta Hawks were nearly a destination for him.

NBA insider Jake Fischer recently reported on The Stein Line that LaVine's representatives pushed for a trade to the Hawks in the offseason, but the Kings shut it down.

"League sources say that LaVine's Klutch Sports representatives tried during the offseason to build some support for a trade construction that would send their client to Atlanta for Young, but the Kings squashed the idea," Fischer wrote.

Zach LaVine reportedly tried to find his way to Atlanta, but the Kings shut it down, per @JakeLFischer

“League sources say that LaVine's Klutch Sports representatives tried during the offseason to build some support for a trade construction that would send their client to… pic.twitter.com/t2dg1Nu5hd
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 7, 2026

Would LaVine fit in Atlanta?

Of course, most of the time reports like this are not worth much, but this could actually become significant ahead of this year's trade deadline. As the Hawks reportedly look to move on from star point guard Trae Young, many fans would welcome a LaVine-for-Young swap in some capacity.

I will not get too much into how Young would fit in Sacramento, but I can focus on why LaVine would want to go to Atlanta. The Hawks are on the brink of being a competitor in the Eastern Conference with the pieces they have, and adding LaVine in the mix could legitimately take them to the next level, and he likely knows that.

Dec 14, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) protects the ball defended by Minnesota Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland (8) during the first half at Target Center. | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

If the Hawks are not tied up with Young's contract and future, LaVine's offensive prowess would be a great fit in Atlanta. Putting LaVine alongside guys like Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson would be ideal for him, especially since he would not be the main focus of the offense, but simply another much-needed creator.

Why would the Kings shut it down?

Now, the Kings are desperate to get off LaVine, but why would they shut down this idea in the offseason?

The Kings were likely holding out hope that this current roster was set up for success. However, it obviously was not, but giving up on it before seeing more of LaVine alongside DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis, and the rest of the team was likely still out of the cards.

Of course, this is not a guarantee that the Hawks were also locked in on acquiring LaVine, as they were likely in a similar position of eagerly wanting to see their new-look lineup in action. Trading for LaVine would have significantly changed things for Atlanta, and at the time, they likely were not looking for that type of drastic move. Now, though, things could be different.

While this idea did not work out for anybody in the offseason, it could be worth it for LaVine's Klutch Sports representatives to explore this move to Atlanta again. The Kings should not be jumping to shut down any opportunity to get rid of LaVine, and looking into a potential deal with the Hawks could work out for them.

LaVine is having a significant down year, averaging just 20.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game with 48.4/38.6/87.9 shooting splits. While his value is down the drain, this offseason interest could end up being beneficial for the Kings.

Would LaVine fit in Atlanta?

Why would the Kings shut it down?

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