Sports

How Zach LaVine Can Help Elevate The Sacramento Kings’ Offense

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By
Ben Pfeifer
Author photo
Ben Pfeifer Sports Editor

Ben Pfeifer graduated from the University of Missouri with degrees in Psychology and Journalism. He has worked in basketball scouting covering the NBA and the draft for over a half-decade, working for various outlets. Now, he covers the NBA, the draft and high school basketball.

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Sports Editor

Published03 Feb 2025

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Zach LaVine

After what feels like years of speculation, the Chicago Bulls finally offloaded Zach LaVine. He’ll join the Sacramento Kings as part of a three-team deal sending De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs Spurs. It’s far from the most shocking trade of the weekend but LaVine will shake up an already eventful Sacramento season.

Kings fans are understandably mourning the loss of their franchise star, but LaVine will surprise plenty of them with his play this season. Acquiring a player as good as LaVine, who Chicago seemingly wanted to dump for nothing, was good business assuming a Fox trade was looming regardless.

LaVine has quietly had a phenomenal season for a middling Bulls team. He’s averaging 24 points, 4.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game on an elite 63.6 percent true shooting clip (6.3 points above the league average). He’s one of seven players with a scoring rate (points per 75 possessions) and true shooting in the 90th percentile or above.

An Easy Fit Offensively

Beyond his impressive statistical production, LaVine’s fit in Sacramento’s current roster construction should be seamless. It would be reasonable to argue him as a better Kings fit than Fox, given his off-ball shooting boost, even if Fox is the better player in a vacuum. LaVine thrives in Sacramento’s preferred actions and adds new dimensions its offense lacks.

He’s attacked and burned defenses off of the catch throughout his entire career. LaVine can thrive as an isolation creator, but he’s been at his deadliest as a second-side attacker. Chicago hasn’t tapped into that this season, as he spends most of his time on the court as an isolation and pick-and-roll creator. 

Sacramento spams handoffs with Domantas Sabonis as the offensive fulcrum. The Kings lead the NBA in handoff frequency (8.4 percent), whereas Chicago ranks 28th in handoff frequency this season (2.9 percent). LaVine will certainly see more than his current 0.8 handoffs per game and should score efficiently on those chances. With Sabonis setting sturdy screens, LaVine’s first step, shotmaking prowess and explosive finishing should lead to easy shots aplenty.

LaVine is having his best distance shooting season, draining 44.4 percent of his 10 3-point attempts per 100 possessions. He’s shooting above 43 percent on both catch-and-shoot and off-dribble threes, bringing much-needed off-ball shooting versatility for a Sacramento team short on diverse shooters. The Kings rank 23rd in 3-point frequency (36.2 percent) and 28th in accuracy (34.4 percent), two figure LaVine should boost.

LaVine’s Driving Prowess Is Vital

The LaVine to Sacramento marriage makes logical sense with the Kings’ current offensive profile but he figures to expand their capabilities. As previously mentioned, his 3-point shooting will embed novel components, but his driving might end up more critical. Sacramento lives in the intermediate, ranking first in midrange frequency (38.4 percent) and 29th in rim frequency. 

While the Kings convert an elite 71.2 percent of their chances at the hoop, their lack of easy paint pressure leads to occasional stagnation. When defenses bottle up their off-ball actions, they can struggle to bend defenses. Some of that struggle came from Fox’s shift in offensive tendencies. Despite his reputation as a lightning quick slasher, he attempts a pedestrian 20 percent of his shots at the basket this season. He’s shifted to a midrange-heavy playstyle (48 percent midrange frequency) as his career progresses.

LaVine still attacks the basket aggressively, posting an excellent 32 percent rim frequency and finishing an elite 68.3 percent of his shots at the rim. He’s taking fewer midrange jumpers than ever this year (25 percent midrange frequency), focusing on shots at rim and behind the arc. His shot profile will likely bend to mirror Sacramento’s to some extent, but he offers a new skillset to an already dangerous offense.

A History With DeRozan

We’ve also seen LaVine and DeMar DeRozan pair up before; they spent three years together in Chicago from 2021 to 2024. During their time with the Bulls, LaVine and DeRozan never fully gelled as an offensive duo. Chicago recorded a 114.2 offensive rating across LaVine and DeRozan’s nearly 4000 minutes together. Their efficiency as a duo was remarkably similar to lineups with only LaVine (113.2) or only DeRozan (116.6).

Sacramento provides a vastly different context to any Chicago had with more potent offensive supporting talent. Sabonis’ presence alone, as one of the NBA’s best offensive hubs, should grease the wheels for LaVine, as the big man has for DeRozan this season. The two don’t occupy the same spaces on the court and could easily thrive together in an upgraded environment.

LaVine will be a notable defensive downgrade from Fox, who excels as a point-of-attack defender and a disruptor with his quick hands. LaVine doesn’t bring the same value as an on- or off-ball defender, but his presence overall won’t be nearly as large a downgrade as many believe. There aren’t many consummate creators and scorers better than him and he deserved more serious All-Star consideration this year.

Acquiring LaVine probably won’t move Sacramento’s needle closer to title contention. Fox’s departure shuts their window altogether, while LaVine will help the Kings remain competitive this season and beyond. If nothing else, Sacramento looks poised to continue pushing for a playoff berth in a loaded Western Conference with LaVine helping drive that pursuit.