Sacramento could force a high-stakes divorce from Zach LaVine, opening the door for a pivotal mid-season roster transformation.
Zach LaVine's tenure with the Sacramento Kings is likely to end next season, as he could be a buyout candidate after the trade deadline.
Sacramento has tried to part ways with the 31-year-old this offseason. The team tried to gauge his interest on the market to no avail and reportedly thought about a buyout.
LaVine will earn $48.9 million next season after he picked up his player option. His large salary hampered the Kings' financial flexibility, giving them little cap space, and they signed two veterans at the minimum.
A buyout would immediately open a roster spot for another player who needs to develop, like rookie Emanuel Sharp, a second-round pick. Sharp brings shooting and defense, two skills that Sacramento desperately needs to win games.
The 12-year veteran would give back a portion of his salary to make this scenario work. A move of this magnitude requires precise timing, which is why NBA salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan believes LaVine is a strong candidate after the trade deadline.
The Kings own their first-round pick in next year's draft, giving them incentive to win games. Teams that finish with the fourth- to 10th-worst records earn one more lottery ball and increased odds of landing a top-four pick or higher.
LaVine is a high-level, efficient scorer who can power Sacramento to close victories. He's averaged over 20 points and shot nearly 40% from three since the team acquired him in the blockbuster De'Aaron Fox trade last February.
The 31-year-old opened last season scoring 30-plus points in five of the Kings' first six games; they went 2-3 in those games with close wins over the Utah Jazz and Milwaukee Bucks.
Those wins did come down to the final minutes and took almost every ounce of effort from LaVine, but Sacramento has to take every win it can get.
Keeping LaVine before the trade deadline would be a smart move for general manager Scott Perry. He can improve his trade value throughout the year if he remains the efficient scorer he's known to be, and contending teams may bite the bullet to trade for him.
Perry is adamant about prioritizing the development of his young core, featuring Darius Acuff Jr., Maxime Raynaud and Sharp. LaVine is the odd man out in these conversations and the organization's future.
The Kings could let his $48.9 million salary walk off their books next offseason, but they'd lose him with no value in return. A buyout offers no return either, but kick-starts the youth movement.
Either way, LaVine's tenure in Sacramento has likely reached its end, and it may be before next season's conclusion.
