Zach

LaVine

LaVine opting into the final season of his contract is unsurprising, as he will make a base salary of $49 million, a figure he was unlikely to match in free agency. The question now is where he fits within the Kings’ rebuild. Between the selections of Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud in last summer’s draft, and Darius Acuff Jr., Alex Karaban and Emanuel Sharpe last week, the franchise is clearly looking to build around its younger players. LaVine getting his usual offensive volume likely would not mesh with that, but his contract may be challenging to move if the Kings wanted to go that route.

Due to a right fifth finger injury, LaVine missed Sacramento’s final three games before the All-Star break. Apparently, the injury is more serious than the Kings may have let on, as the guard will reportedly undergo season-ending surgery after the break. LaVine, who appeared in 39 games and averaged 19.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.7 steals and 2.5 three-pointers, has a player option for next season worth nearly $49 million. As for how his absence affects the Kings in the short term, rookie Nique Clifford has moved into the starting lineup and should remain there for the rest of the season.

Wednesday’s game will be the third that LaVine has missed with a right fifth finger injury. His absence has led to Nique Clifford moving into the starting lineup, while Devin Carter has picked up additional minutes off the bench. Expect the same against the Jazz.

LaVine will miss a second straight game with a sore right fifth finger. With De’Andre Hunter (eye) also out, the Kings started Nique Clifford and Daeqwon Plowden in Saturday’s loss to the Cavaliers. While Clifford, who scored a career-high 30 points, is the superior fantasy option, Plowden is worth considering in deep leagues.

LaVine was ruled out with right fifth finger soreness. Nique Clifford figures to enter the starting lineup and has been productive with LaVine out before. Clifford is worth adding in deeper formats.

After totaling 34 points in his first two games back from injury, LaVine surpassed that number on Sunday. Given the matchup, with the Wizards having the youngest team in the NBA and also headed for the draft lottery, it’s unsurprising that he had a big night. However, with the trade deadline on the horizon, it’s worth questioning what LaVine’s future will be. The size of his contract may make it difficult for the Kings to find a trade partner, and if he doesn’t get moved, how much will he play after the deadline? Sacramento plays three games in Week 16, two of which are after Thursday’s trade deadline.

LaVine came off the bench in his return from a two-game absence on Thursday, and he returned to the starting lineup 24 hours later. He scored 17 points in both games, though he was more efficient in this one, even if the result on the scoreboard was the same. LaVine’s name will be floated around in trade rumors as the deadline approaches, but until then, he’ll remain a decent scoring option, even if he hasn’t been able to score as much as he typically does in recent weeks.

LaVine returns to the starting unit after coming off the bench on Thursday, which will push Nique Clifford back to the bench. Domantas Sabonis is out on the second night of this back-to-back, which results in Raynaud making his return to the opening unit. This is likely just a one-game nod for Raynaud, but he should have some upside in an increased role.

LaVine returned from a two-game absence with back soreness, but he came off the bench in his first game back. He came off the bench three times during his tenure with the Bulls, but he has been a full-time starter since the 2015-16 season, which was his second in the league. He still played 29 minutes, while Nique Clifford, who started again, played 27 minutes. Assuming LaVine is available for the second leg of this back-to-back in Boston, he should return to the starting lineup.

The Kings won’t have Russell Westbrook for Thursday’s game, so Schröder will start. Also of note is Clifford remaining in the starting lineup despite LaVine being available after a two-game absence. As a result, Clifford still has some fantasy value in the short term, and his ceiling should be raised after the All-Star break.