Bulls beat reporter on the future of Zach LaVine in Chicago
Jun 6, 2024, 8:42 AM
(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
Darnell Mayberry, Chicago Bulls beat reporter, joined The Drive Guys with Kevin “Whitey” Gleason and Kyle Draper, play-by-play broadcaster for the Sacramento Kings, to discuss the future of Zach LaVine and if he could be on another team in the near future.
Sacramento seems to be searching to make a splash via the trade market, while Chicago may be willing to field calls regarding their best player.
The trio breaks down how Zach LaVine could potentially fit alongside De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and Keegan Murray, what a potential trade package could look like, the idea of defensive stopper Alex Caruso being involved, and plenty more.
More on Bulls guard Zach LaVine
LaVine, a two-time All-Star, averaged 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game on 45 percent shooting from the field and 35 percent from three-point range, numbers that all fall below his career averages.
Throughout his ten-year career, the UCLA product has been a volume scorer–particularly with the Bulls, where he has averaged 24.7 points per game over seven seasons.
In 2018, LaVine signed an offer sheet with the Kings as a restricted free agent before Chicago matched the offer. Just this season, multiple reports indicated that the Klutch Sports client “would welcome” a trade to Sacramento, where he would join fellow agency teammate De’Aaron Fox.
Adding a scorer like LaVine next to Fox would be an enticing possibility, but as stated earlier in this piece, the money could prove to be an issue.
Sacramento is not flush with cash, as they enter the offseason sitting $17.7 million below the luxury tax, which they haven’t crossed since the 2003-04 season.
Making salaries work in a potential LaVine trade would require the likes of Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter, while adding another player like Trey Lyles an Sasha Vezenkov would also be needed to make the money work.
Chicago will likely seek draft compensation as well, meaning the Kings would have to part with their lottery pick in June’s NBA Draft and potentially future picks as well.
Adding LaVine’s remaining $137.8 million over the next three years (player option for the final year in 2026-27) would tie up most of Sacramento’s cap space in three players: Fox, LaVine, and Domantas Sabonis, who inked a four-year, $186 million extension last summer.
LaVine’s addition to the Kings could also impact Sacramento’s ability to retain Keegan Murray, who will become a restricted free agent following the 2025-26 season.
When is the next Sacramento Kings off-season date of interest?
The NBA Draft is now a two-night event.
Wednesday, June 26th, will act as the first night of the 2024 NBA Draft, where the Sacramento Kings will make their first-round selection (13th). The second round of the draft will be held on Thursday, June 27th, where the Kings will use its 45th overall pick.
Sacramento hasn’t had a first-round pick since 2022, when it selected Iowa product Keegan Murray with the fourth overall pick.
Stay locked into Sactown Sports for all of your Kings draft coverage, including player profiles, reports regarding pre-draft workouts, draft night coverage, and much more.
NBA Offseason Schedule
- Wednesday, June 26-Thursday, June 27th – 2024 NBA Draft
- Sunday, June 30th – Free Agent negotiating window opens (3 PM PST)
- Saturday, July 6th – Free Agents can officially sign contracts
- July 12-22nd – Las Vegas Summer League
- July 27-August 11th – 2024 Olympic Games
- Friday, September 27th – NBA training camps begin
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