The Kings are starting to trim Zach LaVine’s role, and the shift looks deliberate. According to Carmichael Dave, his minutes are set to keep dropping over the next few weeks as Sacramento leans harder into its younger pieces.
That trend was already visible in Sunday’s 114-108 loss to the Miami Heat, when LaVine logged 25 minutes. It was his second-lowest total of the season, ahead of only the 21 minutes he played against the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 31, and he didn’t see the floor in the fourth quarter.
None of that comes as a shock. General manager Scott Perry has made it clear he wants to prioritize youth, which has pushed the veterans toward the edge of the rotation. LaVine may not be headed for full DNPs, but a move to the bench feels like the next step if this continues.
Even with Sacramento looking ahead, LaVine still matters to what the Kings are trying to do right now. The team needs his scoring, especially with the offense sputtering through three straight losses. He’s averaging 21.4 points while shooting 49/34.7/85.5, along with 3.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
LaVine still brings the kind of easy offense that can swing a game in a hurry. He can beat defenders off the dribble for athletic finishes, or stop on a dime and rise into a stepback jumper after a punch dribble. Playing next to rookie Darius Acuff Jr. and Domantas Sabonis also gives him cleaner looks, whether that means spotting up for a catch-and-shoot three or cutting into open space for a layup.
The bigger picture has been hanging over Sacramento for a while now. The Kings have been trying to move LaVine’s $48.9 million expiring salary since he opted into his player option this past offseason, but no team has stepped up yet. Perry isn’t looking to dump him for pennies, either; he wants a deal that makes sense for both sides.
That’s where the market could still come into play. LaVine’s efficiency is the kind of trait contenders value, and a playoff team could view him as the piece that helps push it over the top. For now, though, Sacramento is balancing that trade possibility with a rotation that is clearly tilting toward the future.
One player who has been making the most of the opportunity is Leaky Black. On a two-way contract, he’s emerged as a promising option lately, shooting 45.5% from three and averaging 1.5 steals per game. For a Kings team in need of shooting and defense, that matters.
So three weeks into the season, LaVine’s Sacramento story is still very much alive - but it’s also starting to look like one the Kings are preparing to move beyond.
In Other News...
Zach LaVine Just Sent A Big Message About The Kings Offense
After the loss to Orlando, Zach LaVine made it clear the Kings are already adjusting around the rise of rookie Darius Acuff Jr. LaVine said his role is shifting to support the young guard, who has quickly emerged as Sacramentos primary scorer, and he acknowledged his own turnovers as part of what went wrong in the game. For a team still searching for the right offensive balance, the message was less about one rough night and more about where the Kings are headed.
Acuffs latest outing only strengthened that case, with 29 points and six assists as he kept extending a streak of consecutive games with at least 20 points and five assists. LaVine said he wants to help Acuff grow by adapting his own style, which is a notable admission from a veteran scorer who has spent much of his career carrying the load himself. For Sacramento, the bigger question now is how quickly that partnership can settle in while the offense continues to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Trade Buzz Suddenly Tests Sacramentos Commitment To Its Youth Movement
Scott Perrys latest move already signaled how Sacramento is thinking about the back end of its roster, sending guard Nique Clifford to Oklahoma City for future second-round picks. It was the kind of deal that fits a team trying to keep its options open, and it also comes at a time when the Kings are still shaping the next wave around rookie Darius Acuff Jr., whose development has become part of the bigger conversation in the organization.
Now the buzz around Draymond Green is putting that youth-first approach to the test. Green, Perry and Acuff all have Michigan ties, and Green recently offered Acuff advice during a preseason game, which only adds to the intrigue around a possible fit. Sacramentos interest appears tied in part to the idea of Green as a mentor, but with the Kings still leaning into younger pieces and Green currently a free agent, the path from speculation to something real is far from clear. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Unexpected Center Move Raises A Bigger Sabonis Question
After moving Nique Clifford in a separate deal, the Kings filled out their roster by signing veteran center Mason Plumlee to a rest-of-season non-guaranteed contract. It is a practical depth move more than a headline-grabber, but it does give Sacramento another experienced body in the middle and helps the team get back to the 14-player minimum.
Plumlee is entering his 14th NBA season, and the structure of the deal gives the Kings some flexibility while they sort through their frontcourt plans. The contract is prorated and carries a guarantee date of January 10, with Sacramento needing to waive him by January 7 to avoid the full salary becoming guaranteed, which keeps the focus on how long the team intends to keep him around. [Read more 🡒]