The Sacramento Kings may not have cleaned up their cap sheet this offseason, but they do seem to have a clear storyline heading into 2026-27: Zach LaVine is entering a contract year, and that changes everything.
LaVine is the one with the most at stake. He’s set to reach free agency next season, while Domantas Sabonis still has two years left on his deal.
In a league shaped by the new aprons, that puts real pressure on LaVine to deliver. If he turns in another season like last year’s, he could talk himself out of a major payday and end up settling for a mid-level contract instead.
For Sacramento, that creates a strange kind of incentive. The Kings aren’t carrying big expectations into the year, but LaVine’s need to re-establish his value could help lift them out of the NBA basement.
With the new draft lottery odds, that matters. Sacramento has to avoid sitting at the bottom without the reward of a top pick.
And LaVine has done this before.
The last time he was clearly playing for his next deal was the 2021-22 season, when he was finishing the contract the Kings had initially offered him in free agency. Chicago matched that restricted free agent offer, and LaVine responded with one of the best seasons of his career. He averaged 24.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while shooting 47.6% from the field and 38.9% from three.
That year also gave him his heaviest workload in Chicago. He appeared in 67 games, which was the most he played for the Bulls.
The shortened seasons factor into that, but he still handled the bulk of an 82-game schedule while chasing his next contract. It was also his final season as an All-Star.
Nobody should expect a clean replay of that year, but the scoring numbers are not out of reach. With DeMar DeRozan gone to a new team this offseason and Russell Westbrook still unsigned, there are plenty of shots available in Sacramento. Darius Acuff Jr. is expected to take on the biggest share as the team’s next star, but LaVine should open the season as the clear No. 2 scorer and could settle in as a shooter alongside Acuff’s shot creation.
There is still some uncertainty about how much runway LaVine will actually get. Before he opted into his player option, the Kings made it clear that no role was guaranteed.
Even so, both sides appear to understand the same basic truth: if LaVine plays well, it helps everyone. It could rebuild his standing around the league and give Sacramento a chance to move him to a contender at the deadline.
The skill has never been the issue with LaVine. The real question has always been motivation, and whether it turns into winning.
In that 2021-22 season, the Bulls jumped to 46-36 after winning just 31 games the year before. If LaVine wants to prove he still deserves a big contract, dragging the Kings out of the basement is the clearest path.
There may not be a stronger incentive than that.
In Other News...
Kings Face A New LaVine Question As Heat Interest Emerges
The Heat are searching for another high-volume shooter after losing Tyler Herro and Norman Powell, and the familiar list of names around that pursuit tells you how tight the market has become. Miami would like to boost an offense built around Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo, but with limited cap space, the paths to a real upgrade are narrow enough that Bradley Beal, DeMar DeRozan and Klay Thompson have all surfaced as possibilities.
Zach LaVine has also come up in the conversation, but from Sacramento's side of the equation, the fit is far from simple. Financial and contractual hurdles make a deal look unlikely, and the Kings are not eager to take drastic measures to create one, leaving Miami to keep weighing whether its best route is a costly trade, a cheaper veteran option or simply trusting Erik Spoelstra to make more of what he has. [Read more 🡒]
Domantas Sabonis Is Suddenly At The Center Of Sacramentos Rebuild
Domantas Sabonis has become a central figure in Sacramentos rebuild discussion, with the Kings already having open conversations with him about possible trade paths while also keeping the door open to a future together. He still has two years and $94 million left on his contract, which makes him both one of the franchises most valuable assets and one of the toughest pieces to move.
Sabonis has signaled a willingness to stay in place and help with the transition if that is where things settle, and the Kings are in no hurry to force the issue. For now, the focus is on player development and on waiting for a deal that truly changes the roster, rather than moving a veteran center just to make a move. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Offseason Pivot Around Patrick Williams Just Got More Serious
The Bulls offseason plans have started to crystallize around Patrick Williams, and the latest reports suggest Chicago is at least listening on the forward while also weighing a wider pivot for more draft capital. Williams still has three years left on his contract, which makes him one of the more interesting names on the market for teams hunting a young wing with upside, and the Bulls are also said to have interest in Bennedict Mathurin as they sort through their next move.
For Sacramento, the chatter is worth watching because the Kings have already surfaced in proposed framework conversations as teams around the league try to map out where Williams could land. Nothing has been finalized yet, but if Chicago keeps pushing for picks and a cleaner roster direction, the Kings could wind up part of a larger chain of movement before the dust settles. [Read more 🡒]