Zach LaVine is an interesting player because while he is overpaid for his services, he is also still a quality scorer who's never been given the chance to play for a good team. He has some intrigue for a team like the Boston Celtics, but the latest intel on him is that he's going nowhere. For the time being.
It's not like the Celtics will lose any sleep over not getting their hands on LaVine. In fact, it works out better for them because LaVine staying in Northern California also means he's not going to South Beach, where he could immediately help Miami become an even bigger threat to the Celtics.
Yes, LaVine's rep is that he's a good stats, bad team kind of guy, but that does not mean that he wouldn't be a steal for a team aspiring for a championship that's a piece or two away from being a serious contender. The Heat are absolutely in that class.
Getting Giannis Antetokounmpo certainly makes their fortunes better, but their offseason moves have still come at the cost of losing their best shotmaking guards, Tyler Herro and Norman Powell. Whether LaVine's better than them is a debate we can have until the end of time, but what wouldn't be up for debate is that he'd be an excellent replacement for them.
But luckily, that won't be a problem for the Celtics, as it appears LaVine will be a King for the duration of his contract.
That is, for now he won't be
Sacramento may keep LaVine for now, but it's becoming increasingly evident that a rebuild is what's next for them. It's not like the Kings are at the tail end of some glorious era of basketball, but it is clear their current vision is not working for them.
If and when they confront the elephant in the room, they will likely try to trade LaVine. However, that contract is way too big for anyone to acquire LaVine for his value. Teams may be willing to trade assets for him if the Kings also agree to take on bad contracts, but even if Sacramento doesn't have the best rep as a team, they technically haven't made dumb moves when it comes to their cap.
If they don't want to make that kind of deal, but want LaVine off the team to assist in a likely tank, he could then get bought out. It must be made abundantly clear that, on paper, LaVine is a perfect fit with the Heat for what they need and what he provides for them.
If Caleb Martin could look like a star in the playoffs for the Heat, even for a moment, LaVine could do the same, only for longer, and his impact could be much bigger. Boston doesn't have to worry about this, nor do they necessarily have to worry about him joining Miami, but this union feels inevitable.
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