Two years ago, the Sacramento Kings looked like a team on the rise. Now? They’re sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference, and the front office is scrambling to fix a roster that just isn’t working.
While general manager Scott Perry tries to salvage the season, reports suggest he’s already identified the biggest problem, and he’s desperate to move him.
Who Does General Manager Scott Perry Want to Trade?
NBA insider Ashish Mathur reports Perry wants to find a new home for shooting guard Zach LaVine. The situation has apparently reached a boiling point inside the organization. Mathur said, “LaVine’s lack of effort and focus on defense has frustrated Perry and Head Coach Doug Christie.”
The defensive issues are reportedly the main driver behind the team’s struggles. Mathur added, “Perry has been telling people close to him that LaVine is a big reason why Sacramento is nearly dead last in the NBA in points per game allowed.”
It certainly appears that the Kings are experiencing major buyer’s remorse after acquiring LaVine this past February in the blockbuster deal that sent franchise cornerstone De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs. It’s worth noting that Perry didn’t actually make that move, he inherited LaVine when he was hired two months after the trade went down.
Scott Perry on why he picked Kevin Knox over Mikal Bridges and Michael Porter Jr.
Scott Perry is the current GM of the Sacramento Kings, who are expected to be active participants this year before the trade deadline.
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Keon Ellis… pic.twitter.com/LZZVaMoFU4— Poppa Left (@_the6thman) November 28, 2025
LaVine has always had a reputation as a pure scorer who doesn’t bring much else to the table, and the numbers this year back that up. He’s averaging 20.1 points per game in the 2025-26 campaign, but his impact metrics are ugly with a minus-12 plus/minus rating.
Even worse, his current 124.1 defensive rating is the highest of his career. These defensive struggles have followed him everywhere, frustrating coaches during his stops with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls.
Why Is Trading LaVine So Difficult?
Moving him won’t be easy, though. Mathur notes that LaVine is making $47.5 million this season, which severely limits his trade market. Most teams consider him overpaid because he has yet to demonstrate that he can contribute to winning basketball. Mathur also points out that LaVine has a $48.9 million player option next season, the final year of the $ 215.1 million maximum contract he originally signed with the Bulls in 2022.
Reports surfaced last week that teams might be interested if LaVine declined that option to sign a longer deal at a lower number. However, if the Kings want to move him now, they may have to attach a draft pick or a young player to sweeten the deal.
LaVine isn’t the only big decision looming for the Kings. Wing DeMar DeRozan has a year left on his deal, and the Kings would likely welcome a trade for the 36-year-old six-time All-Star. DeRozan is averaging just 18.3 points per game, his lowest scoring output in over a decade and he’s never been known for his defense.
Meanwhile, three-time All-Star center Domantas Sabonis would definitely have a market, but he is currently out with a partially torn meniscus in his left knee. With all these moving parts, the Kings will be the team to watch as the trade deadline approaches.