According to NBA insider Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Milwaukee Bucks have done recent due diligence on Sacramento Kings star Zach LaVine.

The Kings are open to trading LaVine, while the Bucks need more talent around Giannis Antetokounmpo so he doesn’t request a trade and leave.

“To that point, league sources confirmed that Milwaukee has done recent due diligence on the 30-year-old guard (and has shown interest in the past),” Amick wrote.

LaVine’s player option for next season is worth $48.9 million. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, teams could be interested in trading for the two-time All-Star if he declines his 2026-27 player option.

“Zach LaVine has a player option in 26-27 that’s worth almost $50 million,” Stein said. “And kind of the rumble, the rumble there is if he was willing to decline the option and take a longer-term extension at a lesser number, I think there would be some trade interest in Zach LaVine.”

LaVine is making $47.5 million this season. He’s averaging 20.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 48.6% from the field, 38.9% from beyond the arc and 86.6% from the free-throw line.

Kings general manager Scott Perry “desperately” wants to trade LaVine, sources told DallasHoopsJournal. Sacramento is only 6-10 on the season and LaVine’s lack of effort and focus on defense has frustrated Perry and head coach Doug Christie, sources said.

The Kings acquired LaVine from the Chicago Bulls last season in the three-team De’Aaron Fox trade with the San Antonio Spurs.

Perry, who wasn’t a fan of LaVine’s game before taking the Kings job this offseason, has been telling people close to him that LaVine is a major reason why Sacramento is almost dead last in the NBA in points per game allowed, sources said.

LaVine has played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Bulls and Kings. He holds career averages of 20.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. The 30-year-old’s agent is Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group.

LaVine has only been to the playoffs once in his career. That was back in 2022 with the Bulls, who lost to the Bucks in the first round in five games.

It will be intriguing to see if the Kings trade LaVine before the February trade deadline. Multiple reports have stated that Sacramento is looking to rebuild by trading its veterans.

The Bucks are 11-15. They are in 10th place in the East and Antetokounmpo is currently injured.