The Sacramento Kings’ offseason has turned into a clear reset, and Zach LaVine looks like one of the biggest names who could be next out the door.
After a 22-60 finish last season, Sacramento is not pretending to be in title mode. The focus has shifted toward player development and building an identity, which has opened the door for more change around the edges of the roster.
DeMar DeRozan is already gone and likely headed to Miami, while Russell Westbrook may be finished in the NBA altogether. That leaves Domantas Sabonis and LaVine as the remaining veteran pieces, and LaVine’s situation appears especially shaky after tough conversations about his role for the upcoming season.
According to the latest intel from James Ham, the Kings have been direct with him about where things stand. “They’ve been honest with [Zach LaVine] and said, ‘Look, all bets are off if you opt in…We as a franchise have to make a business decision with regards to you, and if he’s going to get bought out it should happen now. Because after this it’s not advantageous to anybody.”
LaVine’s reputation has followed him around the league, including the fallout with the Chicago Bulls that ended in a dramatic exit. Still, the production is real. In 2025-26, he averaged 19.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field.
The contract is the obstacle. LaVine is earning roughly $45 million a year on the five-year, $215 million deal he signed in 2022, which is a big reason he was viewed as untradeable. But if Sacramento buys him out, he’d be able to sign with any team for the minimum, instantly turning him into a tempting free-agent target.
If that happens, a few teams stand out.
Miami is one obvious fit. The Heat have been hunting for low-cost help, and LaVine would bring exactly the kind of perimeter scoring they’ve been missing.
After the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, they had to part with most of their best shooters, including Tyler Herro, and that has left them thin on true outside threats. That’s why they’ve also been tied to veteran names like Klay Thompson.
LaVine, though, is the cleaner answer at 31. His shooting and explosive isolation scoring would give Miami a real jolt, and he’d have a chance to play a major role for a competitive team under Erik Spoelstra.
From his side, the appeal is simple: a big role, a winning environment, and the chance to play next to Giannis Antetokounmpo, who creates easy looks for teammates.
Golden State is another possibility. The Warriors missed on their top targets this summer, and there’s been talk that they’re already thinking about the post-Steph era.
But if they want one more serious run with Curry, who plans to sign an extension, LaVine makes sense. He’s a three-level scorer who would take pressure off Stephen Curry and could help fill the gap if Jimmy Butler isn’t ready until midway through the season.
For Golden State, it would mean more scoring, more youth, and another star to lean on. For LaVine, it would be a chance to show what he can do while learning from Steph on offense and Draymond on defense.
Detroit rounds out the list. It has been a rough summer for the Pistons, with Cade Cunningham unable to land the reinforcements he hoped for.
Tobias Harris is already gone, and Jalen Duren is still holding off on extension talks while looking for a better deal. LaVine would help ease some of that sting and signal to Cunningham that Detroit is serious about competing.
The Pistons may not suddenly become East favorites, but they’d be better equipped to handle backcourts in New York, Philadelphia, and Cleveland. The question is whether they’d be willing to extend him.
Even so, Detroit would give LaVine a chance to become Cunningham’s ideal running mate on a young team with some stability and the promise of meaningful games ahead.
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