Report: De’Aaron Fox Could Enter Free Agency In 2026

According to NBA writers Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox could enter free agency in 2026. 

Fox, who has two years left on his contract, will not sign an extension with the Kings this year. 

“While Kings officials talk often about the commitment to a long-term future with this group, there is an unmistakable urgency that comes with the present,” Amick and Slater wrote. “Fox has just two seasons left on his deal, and league sources say the prospect of him entering free agency in the summer of 2026 remains in play — especially if he doesn’t make All-NBA this season.”

The Kings missed the playoffs last season. They acquired DeMar DeRozan from the Chicago Bulls in the offseason, so they now have a “Big 3” of Fox, DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis.

“For one, I’m in no rush,” Fox said. “For two, I just want to make sure where we’re at, because people have seen the league — like, turnover of a team can happen in the matter of a month or two or six months. I mean, if we were contending for a championship, (it might be different). Like, obviously, (the Boston Celtics’) Jayson (Tatum) just won a championship or (the Miami Heat’s) Bam (Adebayo), who has been to the finals twice. I’m just using people who are in my class (who have signed extensions). They’ve already kind of been through that, done that. So yeah, they have that security of (having done) that. For me, obviously, we’re continuing to build.”

Fox appeared in 74 games last season. He averaged 26.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.4 blocks while shooting 46.5% from the field, 36.9% from beyond the arc and 73.8% from the free-throw line. 

If Fox earns a spot on one of the league’s All-NBA teams, he would be eligible for a five-year supermax worth a projected $345 million in new money next summer.

By comparison, Fox’s largest allowable extension this offseason was three years, $165 million.