Report: Bulls lower asking price for Zach LaVine

Jun 4, 2024, 8:08 AM

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 20: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls takes a three point shot in th...

(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Lead Editor & Kings Beat Writer

The Sacramento Kings are rumored to be in the market for a big piece this summer, and Zach LaVine is a player to keep an eye on as the time for offseason moves approaches.

LaVine, a multi-time All-Star, is expected to be on the move before the start of next season as he and the Chicago Bulls are both motivated to make a deal happen.

According to NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson, the Bulls have “significantly” dropped their asking price for LaVine, making it possible for more teams to approach Chicago with interest:

I do get the sense both sides are motivated to make something work this offseason. I don’t think the Bulls will take an awful deal if little materializes, but I do get the sense they’re open to more possibilities than before.

More to the point: I’ve reported before what their asking price was—All-Star level talent, first-round picks or both—and my sense is that it has dropped significantly. As I’ve said from the beginning regarding this situation: This is like a relationship that has run its course.

NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson – June 1, 2024

The Sacramento Kings are no strangers to showing interest in the high-scoring guard, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see general manager Monte McNair kick the tires on a potential deal this summer.

If the price for a LaVine deal has dropped, should the Kings pick up the phone and attempt to bring the 29-year-old to Sacramento?

This week on Stiles & Watkins with Allen Stiles & Chris Watkins, the guys went over the pros and cons of adding LaVine–and his huge contract–to a Kings core that already includes De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and Keegan Murray:

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