Sacramento is heading into the 2026 season with a veteran core, and Zach LaVine stands out as one of the key names in that group. The Kings are betting on his scoring, his versatility, and-most importantly-his ability to stay on the floor after injuries limited him last year.
LaVine’s path to the NBA started with one season at UCLA, where he played for the Bruins in 2013-2014. He put up 9.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.2 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game, while shooting 44.1 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from three, and 69.1 percent from the free-throw line. That single season was enough to send him into the 2014 NBA Draft, where the Minnesota Timberwolves took him in the first round with the No. 13 overall pick.
His career has moved through a few different stops since then. After developing with Minnesota, LaVine was traded to the Chicago Bulls following the 2016-2017 season in the deal for Jimmy Butler. He spent several productive years in Chicago before landing in Sacramento around the trade deadline in the 2024-2025 season as part of a three-team trade that sent De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs.
LaVine has been solid since arriving with the Kings, but health was a real issue last season. He appeared in just 39 games because of a hand injury and an ankle injury. That’s the biggest question hanging over his 2026 outlook.
When he has been available, though, LaVine has done what he’s always done: produce. Across his NBA career, he has averaged 20.7 points, four rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.3 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game. The shooting numbers back up the scoring résumé too, with career marks of 47 percent from the field, 39.1 percent from three, and 83.5 percent from the free-throw line.
For the upcoming season, LaVine is expected to give the Kings plenty of offense again. There’s also room for him to help as a ball handler and playmaker, which would ease some of the load on rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. on that end of the floor.
If LaVine stays healthy and keeps scoring at the level he has shown throughout his career, he could end up being a major piece for Sacramento. The ceiling here is pretty clear: a dangerous backcourt and a Kings offense that can put real pressure on defenses.
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