Zach LaVine's Future With Kings Becomes Clear in New Report

The Sacramento Kings will have a slew of big decisions to make this offseason, and with just five games left in the 2025-26 regular season, the clock is almost ticking. Of course, the futures of head coach Doug Christie and star center Domantas Sabonis headline those decisions, while Zach LaVine has his own personal choice to make that will impact the Kings.

LaVine, a two-time NBA All-Star, has a player option worth just under $49 million next season. While the Kings would love for LaVine to decline the option and hit the open market, he is reportedly expected to opt into the player option to stay in Sacramento for the near future.

"Let's start with Zach LaVine, who's got a $49 million player option. I'm told that he's gonna end up exercising that option," NBA insider Michael Scotto reported. "So, for Sacramento, you're gonna have him on the books for another year, $49 million."

Reporting on Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine, who sources say is expected to exercise his $49 million player option for the 2026-27 season, along with potential offseason trade candidates Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and Malik Monk with host @ChrisShearnYES on @YESNetwork. pic.twitter.com/pzUwSxJP1l
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) April 3, 2026

LaVine's up-and-down Kings tenure

The Kings acquired LaVine at the 2025 trade deadline in the blockbuster deal that sent De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, while bringing in LaVine from the Chicago Bulls. Since then, he has averaged 20.6 points through 71 games, while shooting 49.4% from the field and 41.6% from beyond the arc.

On paper, LaVine has been exactly what the Kings brought him in for: a high-level scorer. However, is he worth nearly $50 million? Absolutely not. In fact, half the time, he has not even been the high-level scorer the Kings want him to be. This season, LaVine had just as many games scoring ten or fewer points as he did scoring 30 or more.

LaVine opting into his player option is obviously bad news for the Kings, who would be much better off with him off their books, but on the bright side, the 2026-27 season will be his last in Sacramento. Scotto even mentions that LaVine could be out of Sacramento sooner than the 2027 offseason.

Is LaVine a trade candidate?

Feb 1, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) looks on during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

There was some speculation that LaVine has already played his last game as a King, after undergoing season-ending surgery on his right hand, and even if he opts into his player option, that could still be the case.

"He's certainly a trade candidate," Scotto continued to say about LaVine. "They listened to offers before the trade deadline. They're gonna circle back on that again over the summer."

It was no secret that the Kings were exploring trades for LaVine ahead of February's deadline, but to minimal surprise, there were no buyers. Before the Kings took a chance on him at the 2025 deadline, there were plenty of reports about the Bulls scouring the market for a buyer with no luck. Of course, the Kings were the team to bail the Bulls out of LaVine's contract situation, and now they are in the same pickle as Chicago was.

It will be interesting to see if they have better luck with a potential LaVine trade this summer, but at least they know he will be off the books by the 2027 offseason, at the latest.