Zach LaVine may already be back on the trade block

If Zach LaVine was hoping his February trade to the Sacramento Kings would provide him with some long-term certainty, it seems he is going to be disappointed.

The Kings are already open to trading LaVine less than four months after acquiring him from the Chicago Bulls, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. LaVine is eligible for a contract extension this summer, but the Kings have no plans to prioritize one for the 30-year-old.

LaVine has $96.4 million remaining on his current deal, which includes a player option for 2026-27. The Kings simply do not view him as a long-term solution and are not prepared to commit a huge sum of long-term money to a 30-year-old with a concerning history of knee injuries.

The Kings acquired LaVine as part of the three-team trade that sent De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs. His hefty $40 million salary was something of a facilitator to get the deal done, but the Kings likely cared more about the trio of first-round picks they received as part of the trade. That leaves them trying to move his unsightly salary, just as the Bulls were before February’s move.

LaVine mostly stayed healthy in 2024-25, playing in 74 games overall. He averaged 22.4 points per game for Sacramento after his acquisition in February, though the Kings went just 14-18 when he played.