Two-time All-Star Zach LaVine currently finds himself in a complicated position with the Sacramento Kings franchise. After a horrendous start to the 2025-26 campaign, featuring a 5-14 record, the Kings appear to be on the verge of blowing it all up. With LaVine mentioned as one of the many players on the roster on the trade block, the 30-year-old may be seeing his time in Sacramento coming to an end.
Although the Kings have been open to the idea of a complete roster overhaul, there have not been many reports about Sacramento being involved in trade talks with any team.
Despite reports suggesting a lack of interest in the trade market, some teams around the league could still benefit from acquiring a player such as Zach LaVine. On that note, a team such as the Portland Trail Blazers could be viewed as an intriguing landing spot for the two-time All-Star.
Portland made some interesting moves by acquiring Jrue Holiday and signing Damian Lillard this offseason. Given their approach to roster construction, it is safe to say that the Blazers are gearing up to make a playoff charge in the near future.
Although Portland has a solid roster in place, considering its offensive rating of 114.2 (20th in the NBA) this season, it is evident that the Blazers could benefit from making an upgrade.
With averages of 20.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game on 49.0% shooting from the field and 37.5% from three-point range, Zach LaVine possesses noteworthy offensive ability and sharpshooting skills. In many ways, he could still be a solid scoring boost in the right environment.
With this in mind, we explore some ways in which the Blazers could acquire Zach LaVine.
How Can The Blazers Acquire Zach LaVine?
For the Blazers, acquiring Zach LaVine could pose quite a challenge. Given LaVine’s massive $47.4 million contract, formulating a package that would also align with the Kings’ demands would require Portland to part with a fair number of players as well as draft assets.
One potential package for LaVine would include Jerami Grant, Robert Williams III, a first-round pick, and a second-round pick.
Grant’s contract is widely regarded as one of the worst in the league from a trade perspective. But considering that he is averaging 19.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game on 45.0% shooting from the field and 39.6% from beyond the arc, Sacramento may be willing to take a risk.
In this scenario, the Kings would be acquiring a solid wing player, a reliable big man, and valuable draft compensation.
Although the injury histories of both players may raise some concerns, the Kings could be swayed by adding another second-round draft pick, especially since Williams is also on an expiring contract worth $13.2 million.
An alternative to this proposal could feature a package including Jerami Grant, Scoot Henderson, and Kris Murray, along with a second-round draft pick. While outrageous, it may have some merit.
For the Blazers, parting with Henderson may be inevitable due to his recurring injuries and his inconsistent performance. Although he positions himself as a talented combo guard, Henderson simply isn’t available enough.
With the arrival of Damian Lillard, Henderson is likely to see his role reduced even further. To address this now, Portland could include him in a trade package to bring over a premier offensive threat to pair with 22-year-old Shaedon Sharpe.
Additionally, this deal would allow the Kings to acquire Keegan Murray‘s brother, Kris. Given how committed Sacramento is to retaining Murray in the event of a rebuild, such a move could prove to be a display of faith.
Should The Trail Blazers Pursue Zach LaVine?
Currently, the Portland Trail Blazers are one of the most interesting teams in the NBA. After a strong start to the season, the Blazers looked like a genuine playoff team. Considering that they even beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, the only team to do so this season, it would be safe to say that they have the necessary pieces to compete.
However, after a month of regular-season action, the Blazers have an 8-11 record and place ninth in the Western Conference standings.
Although it is clear that the Blazers are only geared to make a playoff push next season once Lillard recovers, they could still consider making upgrades now.
In this regard, Zach LaVine, while a solid target, may not necessarily be the ideal one. Given that they already have an outright scorer in Shaedon Sharpe, the Blazers would be wasting resources by acquiring a similar kind of player.
Coming off one of the worst performances of his career, Zach LaVine doesn’t inspire much confidence as a player at the moment. Although this drop-off in production could be a result of the floating trade rumors, it is clear that it has had a detrimental impact on his trade value.
