Sport 1 min read

Report: Zach LaVine opts in to $49 million player option for 2026-27 season

The two-time all-star wing is set to opt in to his $49-million player option with the Sacramento Kings for the 2026-27 season, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday.

LaVine, 31, struggled with injuries during his first full season in Sacramento, averaging 19.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists over 39 games. He shot 47.9 per cent from the field and 39 per cent from three.

He missed time sporadically through the first half of the season with separate thumb and back injuries, and was eventually ruled out of the remainder of the year in February after undergoing surgery to repair a tendon in his right pinky.

The Kings acquired LaVine at the 2025 trade deadline from the Chicago Bulls as part of a three-team trade that sent De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs.

With his decision to opt in, LaVine is set to play the final year of a five-year, $215 million deal in Sacramento unless they’re able to find a trade partner.

Over his 12-year career, split between the Minnesota Timberwolves, Bulls and Kings, the former 13th-overall pick has averaged 20.7 points, four rebounds and 3.9 assists

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