The Sacramento Kings want to build off their surprise success last season and, hence, will add any help that they can. With two-time NBA All-Star Zach LaVine currently on the market, the Kings could look to add the Chicago Bulls star.
However, per The Action Network’s Matt Moore, while LaVine would welcome a trade to Sacramento, it appears the feeling isn’t mutual.
“The Kings are among the teams LaVine’s camp would embrace a trade to, but so far, the Kings haven’t shown interest in a move for the former All-Star,” Moore wrote in a January 10 story.
This indicates a change in the Kings’ thinking from years past, as they signed LaVine to a contract sheet back in 2018, per Marc J. Spears back when he worked for ESPN. LaVine would bring a lot more scoring to the Kings, but scoring isn’t a pressing issue for the Kings.De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis give the Kings plenty of offensive firepower on their own. LaVine would surely add to that, but they may focus on improving their defense, as they allow 116.2 points per 100 possessions, per Basketball-Reference. For all of what LaVine bring offensively, he may make the Kings worse defensively.
More importantly, the Kings would have to cobble up a lot of money to match LaVine’s deal, which would be difficult to do without Fox or Sabonis.
Despite Zach LaVine’s talents, it turns out a possible trade may not be in the cards at the moment because of how expensive he is. Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reported that a LaVine trade may not happen because of how expensive his contract is.
“There’s still plenty of doubt among league personnel the Bulls will find an amenable trade partner for LaVine,” Fischer wrote in a January 11 story. “A team that is both willing to assume the four years and roughly $180 million left on LaVine’s contract and furnish Chicago with preferred pieces who can help the 9th-seeded Bulls keep pace in the Eastern Conference postseason picture has been hard to come by.”
LaVine is an excellent scorer who is entering his prime as a player. However, he does not have much playoff success to his name. Entering his 10th NBA season, LaVine has made the postseason once and has one playoff win to his name. The Kings may not have much success to their name either, but it may be in their best interest to add someone who has vast playoff experience.
Very Little Optimism’ Kings Can Re-Sign Pascal Siakam
The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported that should the Kings trade for Pascal Siakam, there isn’t much belief that they’d be able to keep him.
“According to two league sources, the Kings should have very little — if any — optimism regarding the prospect of Siakam re-signing in the summer if they were to land him,” Amick wrote in a January 10 story.
Amick added why trading for Siakam is seen as a big risk for any team interested in him.
Whether it’s the Kings or any other team that is taking a serious look at Siakam…the factors in play are somewhat similar to those that led to Toronto’s trade with San Antonio for Leonard in the summer of 2018. There will be no promises made about his free agency future for any team, with the pursuing organization needing to roll the dice and hope for the kind of best-case scenario that unfolded when the Raptors won it all during their one season with Leonard in 2019.”
Though the Kings may want to improve, the best options available come with certain problems that could make the prospect of a trade worrisome.
Matt John covers the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns for Heavy.com. A Massachusetts native, he has covered the NBA since 2018, with stops at FanSided, Basketball News and Basketball Insiders. More about Matt Joh
