Report: Kings Need To Be ‘Incentivized’ To Acquire Bulls’ Zach LaVine

According to NBA insiders Anthony Slater and Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Sacramento Kings need to be “incentivized” to acquire Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls. 

LaVine is coming off right foot surgery and has three years and $138 million left on his contract.

“Zach LaVine has been rumored, and league sources confirm Sacramento has some level of interest, but he would arrive with a tricky contract situation,” Slater and Amick wrote. “LaVine has three years and $137.8 left on his current deal, a perhaps unpalatable number considering the Kings’ growing financial picture. Any deal on this front, league sources said, would likely involve the Kings needing to be incentivized to take on LaVine’s massive deal.”

The Bulls are attempting to trade LaVine this offseason after failing to find a taker for him at the 2024 NBA trade deadline.

LaVine played in only 25 games in 2023-24. He underwent season-ending right foot surgery in February.

A two-time All-Star, LaVine averaged 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.3 blocks in 2023-24 while shooting 45.2% from the field, 34.9% from beyond the arc and 85.4% from the free-throw line.

LaVine signed a five-year, $215 million contract with the Bulls in July 2022. He’ll make $43 million next season and $45 million in 2025-26.

A UCLA product, LaVine has career averages of 20.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.3 blocks with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Bulls. He has a 216-364 record. 

A source told Hoops Wire that LaVine “would like” to get traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. LaVine, LeBron James and Anthony Davis have the same agent (Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group). 

However, the Lakers are not expected to pursue a LaVine trade, sources said. 

LaVine signed a four-year, $78 million offer sheet with the Kings in 2018. The Bulls matched the offer sheet. 

The Kings re-signed Malik Monk to a four-year, $78 million contract. Along with LaVine, Sacramento has been linked to Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma.