As expected! LaVine will exercise the $49 million player option, putting the Kings in a salary cap predicament.

On June 29, Beijing time, per Shams, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul informed ESPN that Kings guard Zach LaVine will pick up his $49 million player option for the 2026-27 season.

LaVine was sidelined for the rest of the 2025-26 season prior to the All-Star break, when the Kings held a dismal record, leading him to undergo right hand tendon repair surgery.

At the time of LaVine's surgery, the Kings had posted a 12-44 record, the worst in the league; the team finished the regular season at 22-60, tied with the Utah Jazz for the worst record in the Western Conference. Before the trade deadline, the Kings attempted to shop both LaVine and Domantas Sabonis—Sabonis underwent season-ending surgery on the same day as LaVine—but neither trade materialized.

Before the All-Star break, LaVine played 39 games, averaging 19.2 points per contest. During his tenure with the Chicago Bulls, he was selected to the All-Star Game in 2021 and 2022, and was traded to the Kings in February 2025. Over his 13-year career, LaVine has averaged 20.7 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.

Salary cap expert Marks noted that the Kings face significant salary cap challenges. The team's total payroll exceeds the luxury tax line by $16 million, surpasses the first apron by $13 million, and currently sits right at the second apron. DeRozan's $25.7 million salary for this season includes only $10 million in guaranteed money.