Ranking Zach LaVine’s top 3 trade destinations with the Kings that were forgotten

The The Sacramento Kings, for lack of a better descriptionthey are a big mess. The roster that had all the good vibes about it, the one that captured the fan’s imagination by lighting up the beam, winning the Pacific Division and snapping their playoff drought, is all but gone. Only Domantas Sabonis, Malik Monk and Keon Ellis remain from that roster, as the team took on a mix of talent that the coaching staff, despite their best efforts, couldn’t manage.

One of those players who wasn’t as impactful as the Kings thought he would be Zach LaVine. Sacramento, after De’Aaron Fox’s official trade requestwanted to stay competitive, which is why they prioritized returning another All-Star-caliber player in exchange for their franchise talent. But with Fox under contract for another season, the Kings likely could have waited until the offseason before accepting offers.

Instead, the Kings wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. They got LaVine, who, while he remains one of the best pure scorers in the NBA, has also struggled to excel in a mess it is a list of sacraments.

Taking into account how lost is this Kings teamespecially in the stacked West, it makes sense that they finally retire this list and start over. A fire sale would greatly benefit this aimless Kings team, and LaVine could be someone to go if the team decides to go in that direction.

If LaVine becomes available for a trade again, there should be interest in him even though he would be hard to replace given how much he’s making. Still, here are the destinations that make sense for the two-time All-Star.

3. Detroit Pistons

The The Pistons are currently in the midst of an 11-game winning streakas they took the next step in their climb to contention behind another surge from Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren. While they’ve mostly used an easy schedule thus far, stringing those wins together is never an easy task — not when Cunningham and Duren have missed their fair share of games.

One would think the Pistons still have plenty of room to grow. Jaden Ivey has yet to return from injury, and when he does, the Pistons’ offense would be more dynamic, giving Cunningham even more space to work with. Dennis Jenkins is already stepping up in these two – imagine someone who is more polished on offense and provides more size on defense starting with Cunningham. That’s Ivey in a nutshell.

All things considered, the Pistons are unlikely to make any seismic moves. Changing the roster of an 11-2 team can be a recipe for disaster, and it’s also pretty unnecessary. Either way, LaVine’s skill set would be perfect for this Pistons team. In an ideal world with no cap numbers to consider, he would be an incredible player in the backcourt alongside Cunningham.

LaVine is a career 39.2 percent shooter from deep, and at a healthy level as well. This season, he is shooting over 42 percent from the arc on 7.5 attempts per game, making him one of the most efficient power-play shooters in the league.

Of course, the Pistons have Duncan Robinson to fill that sniper role that Detroit desperately needs. But unlike Robinson, LaVine is a much more well-rounded shooter. His athleticism makes him a weapon in transition that, along with Cunningham, the Pistons could use to their maximum effect. He can hunt his shots off the dribble as well, giving Detroit a reliable shot creator whenever Cunningham needs a break.

The Pistons are a rarity — they can take on LaVine’s money without squandering that much depth. They can trade Tobias Harris and Caris LeVert (after Dec. 15) and can acquire the Kings’ guard. But don’t expect the Pistons to shake up the roster when they roll all year round.

2. Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers are fading fast; they’ve lost three games in a row and are struggling to stop because of Jrue Holiday’s injury. Their depth is the main concern. Scoot Henderson is out for the season, Mathis Thiboul and Blake Wesley are nursing injuries, Damian Lillard won’t be back until next season, and Jeremy Grant even missed Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns with an illness.

If anything, the Blazers don’t need to spend more depth just to bring in someone like LaVine. LaVine isn’t an impressive defender anyway; Blazers right now rank 22 in defensive rating, which is quite worrying for a team whose identity was supposed to be built on defense.

But in the NBA, there is something called a defensive feedback loop. When a team struggles to execute offensively, it can negatively impact their ability to get stops because they don’t defend consistently in the half court.

Acquiring LaVine won’t solve the Blazers’ biggest problems. But he will bring a punch for a team that relies so heavily on Danny Avdia, Holiday and Grant to create open looks.

Alas, getting LaVine to step up the offense may not be financially possible for the Blazers without a three-team trade structure. They will be hard to match $47.1 million it is necessary to make a trade with the Kings, as they will have to give up at least one of Holiday or Grant (which they may not want to do) to make it happen.

1. Los Angeles Clippers

Speaking of fading teams, the clock is ticking on the Clippers. They are currently 4-10 and in 11th place in the Western Conference standings. They don’t have their first round pick for next year, and they do currently without Kawhi Leonardwhich is currently treating lower body injuries. Derrick Jones Jr. he will also be out for a few weeks.

Only to make matters worse, The Clippers appear as big losers in Norman Powell’s trade. Powell is breathing fire with the Miami Heat, while John Collins has struggled in LA so far. Bradley Beal, Powell’s designated replacement, is working a year after hip replacement surgery.

The Clippers, simply put, were one of the worst teams in the league. They are the oldest team in the NBA. It’s getting hard to find positives for LA, other than maybe James Harden is a legitimate star trying to carry this shallow, injury-ravaged and dilapidated team.

By all statistical measures, the Clippers were one of the worst teams in the NBA this season. They have a net rating of 4.6, which means yes they are equally bad as their record suggests, and it is their defense that is proving to be their undoing. They’re allowing an obscene 118.5 points per 100 possessions, which is just criminal considering how elite their defense was last year.

Now, LaVine won’t be even close to being the savior for this Clippers team. But he would at least help Harden carry a lot of the offense, especially amid Leonard’s absence. Harden is torn by this heavy burden he carries; At least Lavin would help with that. They need another ball-handling scorer, especially with Chris Paul in the wash, and LaVine fits the bill.

Bill Simmons brought up the LaVine trade idea it might make sense for the Clippers, as long as they can make it legal under the CBA.