Kings’ Zach LaVine enters contract year with ‘extremely high’ standards

Zach LaVine is entering a contract year, coming off an injury-shortened season and playing for a Kings team that won 22 games.

His expectations haven’t dropped.

LaVine told Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints that he spent the offseason evaluating how he can improve and where he fits within Sacramento’s plans.

“I had a little hand injury, but every year for me, I go into the offseason, I see what I can do better,” LaVine said. “I see how I can try to help the team and what role or what area I’m gonna be fitting in.”

LaVine appeared in only 39 games last season, averaging 19.2 points while shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 39 percent on threes. Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray also missed significant time as Sacramento finished 22-60.

“It’s unfortunate that I had the injury last year, even the season we had,” LaVine said. “But for standards for myself, I have them extremely high, so I’m looking forward to this year.”

Asked whether he still has something to prove, LaVine didn’t hesitate.

“Yeah,” he said. “I think if you don’t have something to prove to yourself or anybody, you’re being very complacent. I think I’m my biggest critic. So if anything, I have something to prove to myself every year.”

The Kings reportedly rejected an offseason proposal that would have sent LaVine to Atlanta for Trae Young. That decision kept LaVine in Sacramento, where his contract, health and future will remain connected throughout the season.

A healthy Kings roster should be better. LaVine now gets the opportunity to show how much better, while reminding everyone that he can still be one of the league’s most efficient scorers. After 22 wins, modest expectations wouldn’t help anyone.