Earlier this month, it was reported that Zach LaVine planned to exercise his player option for next season worth $49 million. On Monday, LaVine spoke to Sacramento media and provided an update on how is thinking about his future.
“I’ll go back and talk to my representative and figure out what’s the best course of action. I think that goes along with him as what’s most important to you right now and what makes sense. Obviously, having a player option is a good thing in my camp. We’ll go back and look at everything, look at all the scenarios, watch the playoffs and see what happens,” he said.
As for what he wants, he said, “Where I’m at in my career is we want to win. I’ll speak for myself, obviously.”
LaVine had a rough season, averaging his lowest points per game since 2017-18 (19.2), and playing in only 37 games.
It is hard to believe he would step away from $49 million. Given his injuries and recent production, you would have to assume the current market would not match or exceed that number.
Still, LaVine did emphasize winning at the point in his career, so his decision is still worth keeping an eye on, especially since he is on a Sacramento Kings team that doesn’t exactly have winning built into its culture over the majority of the past four decades.
I just don’t see him leaving $49M on the table, regardless if he’s playing for shitty Sac team. Only a few teams have cap space: Wiz, Clips, Lakers, Jazz, Nets, and Bulls
We know he’s not going back to Chicago. The Nets, Wiz, and Jazz are in a youth rebuild and aren’t winning anytime soon. That leaves the Lakers and Clips.
Lakers are building around Luka and want to retain Reaves. I don’t see an aging LaVine as part of their plans. The Clips, however, I can squint and see it. If they continue with Garland and Leonard, maybe they would want LaVine’s scoring punch? The problem is they already have Dunn on the cheap and still need to round out their roster. Could Ballmer come to the Kings rescue and offer an overpay for LaVine this summer? Something like 3 years at $75M?
Meh, doubtful. Unless he’s going to take the MLE from some team, he’s returning to Sac.
Unless he opts out to re-sign here for 4 years 160 million. Vivek!!!
Beat me to it. Why take the player option for $49 mil when he could get an extension for more. Jimmy Hams has mentioned that he thought Zach could opt out if there is a long-ish term contract with less per year, i.e. $72 mil over 3 years vs $49 mil this year. Im not advocating for resigning/extending Zach. Take the $49 mil hit and move on and maybe someone is willing to take on the remainder of the contract at the trade deadline.
Wiz and Jazz are down with their rebuild, both made big moves to compete next year after this last big draft pick.
Wiz our with Trae though, can’t have that back court, Jazz could do it with JJJ being the frontcourt stopper but yeah, most likely they just have to eat his last year.
3/75 is a great deal for his offensive output, the bill at 40-50 per is the problem
$49M is too much to leave on the table, IMO. I can’t imagine his agent and he can paint a better financial scenario.
For other teams?
As a talent, I like Zach Lavine – he is one heck of a shooter/scorer. It is his salary that is the problem, not so much the player (other than his health issues). He should be (and have been) paid like Malik Monk, not as low as Buddy Hield, not as high as Steph Curry.
Lavine is a known entity, much like DeMar DeRozan. The season following this next one will have him a year older, and a bit more rickety (as he is oft injured). His value will be determined in Free Agency. I can’t believe anyone will give him $75M or $90M for three seasons. And if they do, they can wait to do that after this season. He is a nice piece, not a game changer.
Should he be extended? of course not.
Should he be waived and stretched? The contract gurus I have read, suggest no
Should he be waived and given a lesser buyout? same answer as above.
In contrast, Anthony Davis, now with the Washington Wizards was asked about his future with the team and gave a “I like the money” type answer. That guy needs some PR coaching, as that is an awful response, IMO.
I’d be shocked if he didn’t opt in, who would turn down 49 mill no matter how much I might want to win
One could suggest if he really cared about winning he could have tried to develop all parts of his game to be a better all around player, or is that being a little unkind
DeRozan can be a tad frustrating to watch, but he sticks to his knitting and you know he is out there. Lavine just disappears for long stretches
The NBA loves to talk about business and free agency and contracts and expansion, so you can’t be to mad at Anthony Davis for saying I like money. Its tone deaf for sure
If LaVine is serious when he says he wants to win (they guy has been in just 1 playoff series) then more guaranteed money elsewhere on a contender might be appealing.
Sure he could collect his $49M here and sign elsewhere in the summer of 2027 for more money, but he could also have a career altering injury and never get. another contract for more than he could get this summer.
I don’t disagree with anything you said, but $49M is $49M
I think the only way he leaves is via buy out of some kind or another sadly
I’d be curious as to what he gets on the open market, I suspect its surprisingly low. Then watch the Kings then over pay him say 3 for 60 and tell us how smart they are when no other team would pay him anything over the vet minimum. A move that is on brand for this organisation
Yeah, free agency isn’t what it used to be, especially due to the new apron rules. They only thing going for him is that the free agency pool is relatively shallow this summer. after LBJ the next UFA of LaVine’s caliber is….Norman Powell or CJ McCollum?
if you think a scorer like lavine is getting vet min you are out of your mind lol
I thought prior to the deadline that LaVine next to Cade in Detroit made a lot of sense, and I still do. They could use his 3 level scoring. They are currently platooning Duncan Robinson, Huerter, and LeVert next to him for a combined $47M. Should they stumble in the playoffs I could see them looking for an upgrade. Huerter is a UFA and Robinson has just a $2M guarantee next season. Harris is also a UFA and Duren is a RFA so they need cap space to retain him.
Maybe they’d offer something like a 3 year $75Mish deal for LaVine to leave the Kings. I’m sure LaVine’s agent is putting out his feelers. It was the first thing that came to my mind when LaVine said, “watch the playoffs and see what happens.”
LaVine opts out and the Kings work a S&T to Detroit for LeVert and Holland (Combined $23M) works for me.
If some other team is willing to pay him $70+M over the next 3 yrs, could he sign after negotiating a buyout from the Kings for $20 – 25M?
I think so…
A buyout could be a fair compromise. It would also get the Kings well below the tax line, which I’m sure Vivek would love to do. Also, keep in mind that if the Kings land one of the top 3 picks, it likely puts them above the first apron, should LaVine opt in.
Drapes > Jones IMO
https://bsky.app/profile/gwiss.bsky.social/post/3mjhpfsttdc2o
Seems Drapes is no longer with the Kings.
I don’t like either one of them.
No one agrees with me, but when you’ve made $250 million, $49 million is worth exactly nothing. Your 3/4 Olympic sized pool becomes a full sized Olympic pool. Your 250 foot yacht becomes a 300 foot yacht. Your 30 person movie theater becomes a 50 person movie theater. Your 6 hole personal golf course becomes a 9 hole. No one cares. There’s just no value at all there. It probably sounds insane, and almost no one had ever passed up a large amount of money (however much they don’t need it) to put themselves in a better situation.
I fully expect LaVine to opt in with a “effort” from the Kings to trade him, which isn’t going to happen before the deadline, because no one in the NBA except the Kings wants an offense only player who doesn’t make anyone else better for $50 million. And if the Kings do trade him at the deadline, they’ll probably end up pulling a De’Andre Hunter, where they’re adding long-term salary without meaningfully adding wins.
well with taxes divide that in half 😉
Yachts can be pricey though
its still $49M I can’t imagine for the rest of his life he will ever be able to earn that much money in a single year
Please decline your option. Go somewhere else.
Badge Legend