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
Mate
I have no idea what he is worth and I’m curious to find out, but I suspect for an aging shooter who offers nothing else its less than we think.
I’m not religious but I pray that that the Kings don’t resign him for say 20 a year for 3 years
I’m with you, I don’t think he gets more than $20M/yr at most and I personally don’t think he’s worth even that.
Is LaVine worth more than $25M more per year than someone like Duncan Robinson? I mean, he’ll dunk more impressively every once in a while so he has that going for him.
Zach LaVine: 6-5, 200lb SG, Age 31, $48M avg salary
Duncan Robinson 6-7, 215 SG/SF, Age 32, $20M avg salary
All stats above are career averages from BBall-Ref
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.
Bradley Beal gave back around $13M in his buyout. I don’t know how much more LaVine would give up above that. But I think a buyout is probably the most reasonable ending to this story.
He also had the handshake agreement in place from the Clippers at the time of the buyout. I makes me wonder if the Suns let his agent talk to other teams. Wouldn’t LaVine’s agent need permission as well?
I’d have to think that LaVine would only consider a buyout if he already has a new home with a contract ready to go.
Lastly, for anyone wondering, should the Kings choose the stretch provision for LaVine, they’d have to pay him over 3 years since he has just one year left. This seems like a non-start to me as it would cost the Kings $16M per year. It would be far easier and have less long term impact to just let him expire in the summer of 2027.
Drapes > Jones IMO
Seems Drapes is no longer with the Kings.
I don’t like either one of them.
Now, if they can just do something about the analyst position…
Maybe get an analyst and a therapist?
https://www.getyarn.io/yarn-clip/064fedcd-cdf7-41ac-89f6-254b726a703d
That should be included with any Sacramento Kings season ticket loyalty package
Mark Jones leaves ESPN. He says his broadcasting days are not over.
He is available to do Kings games full time (no national game obligations). Kyle Draper was not renewed which seems to have sealed that deal for Jones to return.
That’s like a demotion, right? Who wants to do Kings games full-time???
Maybe its a lifestyle thing, less travel. Doesn’t he have family out this way?
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
He’s already made more money than he’ll ever need. If you really wanna win, why not take a little less.
This countryworld has such a fucked up view of money. How much is enough?
I get it, Lavine is like most people. He’ll take the $, but it’s stupid
I agree with you! When you’ve already made north of $250M and you want to win…why wouldn’t you decline the option and get the hell out of basketball hell and sign with a winner and enjoy your last season (or two or three…however many he has left). Life it too short to hate every day and ruminate on how the Kings are destroying any legacy you might have left in the league.
His decision will truly state how much he wants to win.
Please decline your option. Go somewhere else.
Don’t promise me a good time
So who’s Viwreck’s next Man Crush?
Rich poor bastard just can’t get out of his own way
Levine to his agent; “I’m considering opting out so I can sign with a contender even if it means taking less money on an annual basis, because I want to be in the playoffs next season.”
Agent’s response; “Take the money. Then I’ll demand a trade to a playoff team. We can worry about your next contract after the season when there’s a bigger pool of available money and your not coming off another injury season.”
Levine; “But no one will want to trade for me at that price.”
Agent: ” You’ll be the #1 scoring option in Sac. You can pad your stats without much effort. Teams will blame the lack of winning/defense on the franchise, and by mid-season teams will be lining up to acquire $49 mil expiring. We’ll have more and better options than are available on the current FA market.
Levine “LET’S GO!“
You called it.
Basic accounting says its pretty much what anyone would do.
This guy has no value ZERO. People keep wanting to talk about his offense, who cares! He does not fit in any offensive system or make anyone around him better on either end. Overrated his entire career, wouldn’t pay more than 5 or 10 million for the guy as a sixth man scoring option. Even then he’s easily replaceable, insignificant player. Barely gets run on an actual good team that has guys who fit and play both ends. He’d be on the end of OKC or Spurs bench.
Disagree, up until this injury plagued season, the dude put up efficient offensive numbers very similar to Desmond Bane. LaVine is damn near a career 50, 40, 80 shooter, and that is elite, especially at his volume. Sure, Bane is younger and makes about $12M less, but there is a market out there for LaVine. If he were a UFA, he’s likely the #2 UFA this summer behind LBJ and would warrant $25-30M per year.
I agree with this take. The means that we should try to trade him, as opposed to keep him for the year and get notning. At the deadline, I think we can get some expiring contracts that we may want to re-sign for less money or bring in a younger player with a contract closer to the $30 mil range.
He’s got elite offense for sure, the problem is it only shows up one in 3 games when he’s playing well. And like one in 5 since he’s played for the Kings. So yeah, he gets 50/40/80 splits but he gets that on 35ppg one night and 7 the next and 11 the night after that while adding little else, meanwhile the Kings suffer 20 pt. blowouts and he plays 36 minutes. Desmond Bane at least plays defense at a + level.
I agree there’s a market for LaVine but this team doesn’t have the guts, the money, or the fortitude to do what it takes. You can fully expect them to take their sweet ass time, miss their opportunities, completely fumble the Fox bag for net zero, all while they completely disenfranchise their new franchise “cornerstone” rookie as he struggles for minutes, shots and consistency amongst a sea of vets.
Ticket packages starting at $5000 a seat…lol
Its great when he lights up the Wizards for 40 and can’t miss, then no shows against the Thunder the next game I have heard this talk about is elite scoring when he just seems like a dude going through the motions
If he had a lesser contract I wonder how easy he would be to trade. I just think there is minimal demand for player with his one dimensional game
Crazy to think that if he stays, we traded Fox for an untradeable asset. If he walks, we traded Fox for cap space. Yikes.
There were two unprotected 1st rounders and 2 second picks acquired in that trade as well.
The first round pick of value is Minnesota 2031. All the rest are not lottery picks
The Spurs pick was leveraged into Nique. That is on Perry. It was a free and clear pick in 2027. It now likely won’t convey.
As it stands today the return is LaVine, Nique, Minny’s 2031 and the Hornets’ 2026 and 2027 2nd round picks.
Point is, there is still time for the Kings to maximize the Fox deal, regardless of how bad it looks today. Time will tell.
There’s an easy way to fix this issue but this team would never do it….. Tell him he’s coming off the bench next season while the team prioritizes youth development. That’s probably the only thing that could help him walk away from that type of money. Hell, if I’m the Kings, I’d give him permission to let other teams talk potential contract numbers.
Badge Legend