Could Golden State be in the mix for Zach LaVine if the Kings move toward a buyout?
That possibility has started to circulate after recent reporting from Kings insider James Ham, and it immediately puts the Warriors on the list of teams worth watching. If LaVine and Sacramento were to work out a buyout, he would have no shortage of interested suitors - Golden State among them.
The fit is easy to see. LaVine’s high-volume 3-point shooting would slide neatly into Steve Kerr’s offense, especially alongside Stephen Curry. In that kind of setup, he could fill a role similar to Klay Thompson, the accurate long-range shooter who spent 11 seasons thriving with the Warriors.
LaVine’s production last season was muted by his standards. He appeared in just 39 games and averaged 19.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 0.7 steals. That 19.2-point mark was his lowest since the 2017-18 season, his first year with the Chicago Bulls.
Even so, the shot-making remains the calling card. The 31-year-old has averaged 39.1% from deep on six attempts per game over his career, and that kind of volume still carries value for teams looking to add spacing and scoring punch.
Golden State would not be the only team in the chase, though. If LaVine becomes available, contenders such as Detroit and Miami could offer him a cleaner path to winning. The Warriors’ best pitch may be something simpler: they’re close to his current home in Sacramento.
In Other News...
Warriors Already Have Early Proof They Nailed A Key Draft Call
Golden State had a chance to get cute on draft night, but instead the front office stayed put and used the 11th pick on Yaxel Lendeborg after declining Oklahoma Citys offer to move up. The deal would have brought back future second-round picks, but the Warriors passed, betting on the player they wanted rather than the extra assets, and that choice already looks like a smart one for a team trying to keep finding value wherever it can.
Lendeborg backed up the decision quickly in summer league, where he was named MVP and helped lead the Warriors to the championship. Oklahoma Citys Aday Mara, taken one spot later, flashed a few encouraging signs, but the early returns have tilted clearly toward Golden State, which at least for now seems to have found a clean win in a draft process that could matter well beyond July. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Get Encouraging Moses Moody Update After Trade Buzz
Moses Moodys recovery has taken a promising step forward, a welcome update for a Warriors team that has spent plenty of time this summer weighing roster possibilities and rotation stability. Four months after surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon, Moody is making good progress in his rehab, and the organization is expected to stay patient rather than push him back before he is ready.
The next checkpoint matters, though, because it will help frame just how soon Golden State can realistically count on him again. If the rehab keeps trending in the right direction, Moody should remain part of the conversation for the Warriors when he returns, which gives the team at least one encouraging internal storyline to monitor as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Face One Trade Dilemma In Pursuit Of Bench Scoring
The Warriors search for more bench scoring has only become more urgent as the roster has settled into its new shape, and one name floating in that conversation is tied to Milwaukees post-Giannis reshuffling. After Giannis Antetokounmpo was dealt to the Heat, the Bucks brought in several pieces, and among the players drawing outside attention is a young wing who turned in a strong season and has the kind of offensive profile that could help Golden States second unit.
Even so, the path to a deal does not look simple. League chatter has centered on the idea of using draft capital to make it happen, but the Warriors have been cautious about moving future picks, especially for a player whose contract situation adds another layer of complexity. Between the price in assets and the extension questions that come with it, this is the sort of trade idea that sounds helpful for a bench that needs scoring, yet still feels unlikely to become real unless the market shifts. [Read more 🡒]