Report: Kings have made calls to Bulls about Zach LaVine

Jun 18, 2024, 12:17 PM | Updated: 12:18 pm

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 13: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls waits for a free throw duri...

(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Lead Editor & Kings Beat Writer

Now that the NBA Finals have ended, all eyes have shifted to the offseason.

The Sacramento Kings will be an interesting team to watch this summer as they look to add to a roster that missed the NBA Playoffs by one game.

One player who has been on the team’s radar over the years is Chicago Bulls All-Star guard Zach LaVine, and it appears that Sacramento’s interest has stayed strong. According to Action Network’s Matt Moore, the Kings have made calls to the Bulls about LaVine and defensive guard Alex Caruso.

If Sacramento is to make a big swing this summer, it will likely have to part with one or both of Kevin Huerter ($16.8 million) and Harrison Barnes ($19 million) to make larger deals work financially. Both players are reportedly on the table in potential trade talks that could take shape as the offseason unfolds.

The Sacramento Kings are going back to the well with the same trade package they offered Toronto twice for OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam. The offer includes Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter and draft pick compensation. They’re known to have had calls with Chicago involving Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso.

The Kings would love to keep Malik Monk and will offer him the max they can at four years, $78 million, but they realistically won’t be able to match offers from teams like Detroit, Charlotte and Orlando, who are also known to have interest. That, in part, is what makes LaVine more attractive to them at a discounted price after his trade market value hit rock bottom at the deadline.

After talks at the deadline, the Kings are expected to renew conversations with Washington for Kyle Kuzma, especially with the Wizards potentially adding a front-court starter in the draft later this month.

Action Network’s Matt Moore – June 18, 2024

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