Taking a deeper look at the player profile for Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine.
The Sacramento Kings head into the 2026 season with several solid veterans, and one of those veterans I want to focus on is guard Zach LaVine.
On that note, let's take a look at where LaVine went to college, how he has performed in the NBA thus far, and what he could bring to the Kings in 2026.
Starting with LaVine's college career, he played one season which was the 2013-2014 season for the UCLA Bruins.
In that one season, LaVine was solid as he averaged 9.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.2 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game. Additionally, LaVine was also pretty good when it came to shooting efficiency as he shot 44.1 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from three, and 69.1 percent from the free-throw line.
Overall, LaVine had a solid season for the Bruins at the collegiate level, and after that one season, LaVine declared for the 2014 NBA Draft, where he was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round with the No. 13 overall pick.
After being drafted by Minnesota, LaVine showed solid progression, but after the 2016-2017 season, he was traded from the Timberwolves to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Jimmy Butler.
Following the trade, LaVine played pretty well for the Bulls for several seasons, and then around the trade deadline in the 2024-2025 season, LaVine was sent from Chicago to Sacramento in a three-team deal that sent De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs.
Since becoming a part of the Kings, LaVine has been solid, however he did struggle with injuries last year as he only played 39 games due to a hand injury as well as an ankle injury.
Now, looking at LaVine's career stats for his career in the NBA thus far, he has been quite reliable as he has averaged 20.7 points, four rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.3 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game, showing his ability to contribute in a variety of ways.
When it comes to LaVine's efficiency, he has been solid on that front as well as he has career shooting splits of 47 percent from the field, 39.1 percent from three, and 83.5 percent from the free-throw line, which demonstrates his ability to score from all areas of the floor and provide consistency as a scorer.
For the upcoming season, I believe that LaVine will once again provide great scoring, but I also think that he has the capability to contribute as a ball handler and as a playmaker as well, which should take some pressure off rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. on the offensive side of the ball.
So, heading into the 2026 season, if LaVine can stay healthy, continue to be an effective scorer, and contribute when it comes to ball-handling and playmaking, I really do think he could make a key impact on this team and help the Kings to have one of the more dangerous offensive backcourts in the entire NBA.
