Did Zach LaVine Ghost Kings Bench in 4th Qtr Amid Alleged Rift with Coach? Debunking Rumours about 2x All-Star

Denver Nuggets v Sacramento Kings - Source: Getty
Denver Nuggets v Sacramento Kings - Source: Getty

Not a lot of positive things have happened for the Sacramento Kings to start the 2025-26 season, and reportedly, a situation with Zach LaVine is adding to their woes. Over the weekend, a rumor about LaVine getting into a rift with the Kings coaching staff made its rounds on the internet.

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According to the rumor, LaVine chose a particularly demonstrative way to express his frustration with limited playing time during the Kings' Sunday showdown against the San Antonio Spurs. The two-time All-Star was said to have made this gesture during the fourth quarter of that game.

"Breaking: LaVine left today's game against the Spurs after a heated exchange with coaches, reportedly complaining about restricted minutes despite not being injured," the rumor claimed.
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Though the Kings tried to keep things close in the first half, the Spurs ended up winning 123-110 to hand Sacramento their 11th loss in 14 games. LaVine finished with just eight points on 3-for-7 shooting in 24 minutes of play. Notably, reserve guards Dennis Schroder and Malik Monk each played more minutes than LaVine in this loss.

A closer look at the numbers shows that, heading into the Spurs game, LaVine had played 34 minutes or more in nine outings thus far. However, his playing time significantly dwindled on Sunday as Schroder and Monk got their scoring production going.

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It did not take long, however, for the rumor of the LaVine-Kings rift to run into a rebuttal. Another tweet showed screencaps of the Sunday game's broadcast showing LaVine on the Kings bench in the fourth quarter.

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Whether or not the rift is true, the Kings and their All-Star guard will have to figure out how to pick up more wins as they take on the OKC Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies, and Denver Nuggets to complete their five-game home stand.

Report: Kings exploring trade options for Zach LaVine ahead of rebuild

For what it's worth, Sacramento radio personality Carmichael Dave reported last week that the Kings are exploring trade options for the likes of LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, and DeMar DeRozan.

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According to Dave, this is in anticipation of a "full rebuild." If these speculations are accurate, the Kings would be entering yet another period of transition after two decades of mostly postseason futility.

Sacramento Kings Nation! You can check out the latest Sacramento Kings Schedule and dive into the Kings Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.

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Edited by Simoun Victor Redoblado
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