The three-time All-Star faces his lowest rating in six years as he battles to justify a massive contract and find his rhythm alongside rookie Darius Acuff.
For many sports fans, September means the release of the latest NBA 2K, which allows you to play as your favorite NBA teams and players.
The company has begun to unveil some of the players' ratings within the game, most recently highlighting Sacramento Kings rookie point guard Darius Acuff Jr. as the fifth-highest rated first-year, coming in at a 75 overall.
But, on Monday night, 2K began to reveal its list of the top-100 rated players within the game as a whole, with the first King making an appearance at No. 86.
Three-time NBA All Star Zach LaVine is ranked an 82 overall, as he looks to rebound from missed time and make good on his lucrative price tag.
LaVine picked up his $49 million player option this offseason, shunning off reports of a potential sign-and-trade.
He will need to have a big season to justify this amount of money, and remains a candidate for a midseason move if he doesn't fit alongside Acuff.
But, this rating seems low for a player who has produced like LaVine has when healthy, as it marks his lowest since the 2018-2019 campaign - LaVine's second season with the Chicago Bulls.
After trading for LaVine in February of 2025, he missed most of the season with a finger injury, appearing in just 39 games in his full first season in Sac Town.
When available, LaVine posted solid numbers, scoring 19.2 points per game on solid 48-39-88 splits.
But, going forward, with Acuff as the presumed No. 1 option in the backcourt, LaVine's fit, especially defensively, has been pulled into question.
LaVine and Acuff in the backcourt is not a strong defensive pairing, as both players prefer to do their damage on offense.
But, it could be a blessing for Acuff's growth, as he won't see the same aggressive coverages he was seeing during the Summer League.
Having a player of LaVine's offensive talent on the perimeter will make defenses think twice about forcing the ball out of Acuff's hands and giving LaVine open driving lanes.
LaVine has also remained steadfast in his belief that Sacramento has the talent to right the ship.
"As a team, we didn’t do what we were supposed to. Talent-wise, you can put us up against a lot of people," LaVine said at his postseason press conference. "But we just didn't do what we were supposed to."
While Sacramento certainly underperformed, LaVine says he was still able to take some positives away from the season.
"The camaraderie, obviously. This team was actually a group of really good guys that really got along and never really quit," LaVine said. "Always tried, always communicated. Everyone was pulling for each other."
He added that the team worked harder than other groups he has been around during his 12-year career, saying that there weren't "many days off" around the training facility.
With new additions like Emanuel Sharp and Alex Karaban, who played for two of the toughest collegiate programs in the country, this culture and work ethic should only grow.
With LaVine, Acuff, and Domantas Sabonis in the starting five, the Kings have certainly formed a strong offensive trio.
But, how will the defense hold up?
