The 2024-25 season was a busy one for the Kings with plenty of changes along the way.

A coaching change, an All-Star traded away and adding an All-Star to the fray, as well. Follow that up with hiring a new general manager in the offseason and Sacramento had a doozy of a year.

The All-Star who was added, Zach LaVine, spoke with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole at the American Century Championship in South Lake Tahoe on Wednesday about the changes that came with joining Sacramento and how the team can maximize their talent.

“From the beginning, it’s just a commitment from Day 1 at training camp,” LaVine told Poole. “It’s always good being able to have a full connection, offseason, training camp. If stuff happens in the middle of the season, you’ve got to be pros and play with it. But I’m looking forward to starting from ground zero.”

After falling in the Western Conference play-in game last season, the 30-year-old guard and the Kings look ahead as they hope to reach the playoffs for the first time since the Kings ended their 17-year playoff drought in the 2022-23 season.

LaVine averaged 22.4 points per game on 51.1 percent shooting from the field and 44.6 percent from the 3-point line with the Kings.

“I was there for the last 30 [games] of it. I got traded there [before] the All-Star break, after they had all the [coaching] changes,” LaVine told Poole. “That’s part of the business. We’ve got to learn how to deal with that and that’s what the organization is going to do to put themselves in the best position. So, I’m looking forward to a full camp. Had a full offseason.

“I’m really enjoying myself in Sacramento. I feel like I had a really good half of the season. I had a really good season overall for myself, so hopefully we can carry over some of that good stuff into the regular season.”

The rumors surrounding Sacramento and Jonathan Kuminga still are around, but as the two-time All-Star LaVine said, all the players should be worried about is being professional and rolling with the punches.

We’ll see what LaVine and the rest of the team have to offer during a pivotal season for the franchise.


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