The future of Zach LaVine with the Sacramento Kings has been revealed, with the veteran shooting guard expected to pick up his player option.

LaVine has a player option for $48.97 million for the 2026-27 season, and he has to decide on it soon, with free agency fast approaching on June 30.

Well, it appears that LaVine has made up his mind, as a veteran NBA insider is confident he will pick up his player option and opt in to his contract with the Kings for next season.

Zach LaVine Expected to Pick up Player Option

According to NBA insider Sam Amick, LaVine and his representation at Klutch Sports Group, NBA super agent Rich Paul, are expected to pick up his player option for the final year of LaVine’s guaranteed money.

“They’re not leaving that money on the table. So, he’s not opting out. The only question was, they essentially were green-lighted to explore other scenarios, where if Zach and his camp could find a team that was interested enough to do a sign-and-trade, then you opt out, presumably at a lower number, opt out and sign at a lower number, and do a deal that way. That scenario, the Kings have been amenable to. I just haven’t heard of LaVine’s camp having any luck with those scenarios. That doesn’t mean they don’t exist. That, from a process standpoint, is how Zach and his people have been attacking this. But he’s absolutely not just choosing to get his freedom and then opting out and jumping into free agency,” Amick said on Sactown Sports 1140.

Zach LaVine Has Been a Major Disappointment in Sacramento

The reason LaVine isn’t opting out of his guaranteed $48.97 million is that he has been a huge disappointment since he joined the Kings at the 2025 NBA trade deadline.

In a three-way trade that sent De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, the Chicago Bulls traded LaVine to the Kings. The deal was brokered by Paul, who represents both Fox and LaVine. Things weren’t working out for LaVine in Chicago, and Paul believed that Sacramento would be a good landing spot for his client.

But things haven’t gone well for LaVine in Sacramento. Though his 20.6 points in 71 games with Sacramento are nice to look at, he has been the definition of an empty-calorie scorer, as LaVine’s points have come while the Kings keep losing games. He has also been oft-injured, playing in just 39 games this past season for the Kings.

That’s not to say that LaVine is a terrible player. In fact, he would probably be an excellent sixth man on a contender. But as a starting shooting guard making close to $50 million, the Kings were surely expecting more from him.

With LaVine entering the final year of his contract once he opts in, the Kings will hold a valuable trade chip as he will have a massive expiring contract. We’ll see what the Kings front office does with that deal, but either way, expect this to be LaVine’s last year with Sacramento if he’s not traded during the offseason.