Why a Kings' Zach LaVine Trade Seems Unlikely

The Sacramento Kings have a veteran core of Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan, and the consensus expectation is that they will trade them this offseason. Of course, parting with all three of their stars would create a hectic offseason, but we could certainly see them trade one of the three.

The player the Kings likely want to trade the most is two-time All-Star Zach LaVine, but he is seemingly becoming their least plausible trade candidate of the three veteran stars.

LaVine has a player option worth about $49 million for next season, and it seems the only way he leaves Sacramento this offseason is to decline that option, because the Kings will probably not trade him away if he opts in.

Why LaVine will likely stay in Sacramento next season

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

As it has been for the past few years, LaVine's trade value is practically zero. In fact, the Kings would likely need to attach more valuable assets to actually find a trade suitor for him. In some situations, it would be worth it to entice other teams to take LaVine off their hands, but not this one.

Regardless of whether or not LaVine is on the roster next season, they will not be competing for anything serious. Whether they are fighting for a play-in spot or sitting at the bottom of the league again, LaVine's spot on the roster will not have much of an impact.

Zach LaVine says he remains undecided about picking up his $49M player option.

"I will go back and look at the best course of action and ask what is most important to me right now"

(Via @JakeGadon_TV ) pic.twitter.com/IxQk07dHrx
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 13, 2026

If the Kings really do not want LaVine on the roster, they simply need to wait out the final year of his contract. Even if he accepts his player option, he will be a free agent next summer. The Kings would be silly to use valuable assets to trade LaVine away when he will be off their hands by next offseason anyway.

There is another trade scenario where the Kings would be taking on long-term contracts to part ways with LaVine, which is still a bad idea. The Kings will have $49 million off their books next offseason as LaVine's contract expires. If they trade him away for a pair of long-term $20-25 million contracts, then they are in an even worse financial position than they would be by simply letting LaVine's deal expire.

And, just because the Kings will be paying LaVine about $49 million, does not mean they have to treat him as such. If they are stuck with him regardless, they can bring him off the bench for 20-25 minutes per game. Just because he will be paid as a star does not mean they have to give him star-like minutes. Still favoring their young guards, like Nique Clifford, should be the priority, and letting LaVine get in the way of that would be ridiculous.

LaVine is expected to accept his player option, and while there could be some teams out there wanting to acquire a high-level scorer on an expiring contract, there likely are not any deals that do not include the Kings either giving up extra assets or bringing in long-term contracts in return.

At this point, it seems the only way LaVine is not a King next season is if he declines his player option, which is unlikely.

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