Could De’Aaron Fox And Struggling Kings Be Headed For Splittsville?

The NBA trade market heading into this season was, to put it mildly, a bit of a mystery, as noted by The Athletic’s Zach Harper.

The dreaded second-apron penalties, tied to the luxury tax, have had teams playing it close to the vest, wondering just how aggressive they can really be when it comes to acquiring major talent.

While whispers floated around about a potential superstar shake-up, the names were mostly speculative — Brandon Ingram out of New Orleans (thanks to a brutal injury-riddled season) and Jimmy Butler possibly being on the block from the Miami Heat.

But it was a report this weekend from The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Anthony Slater that really got the NBA world talking: De’Aaron Fox and the Sacramento Kings may be on the verge of a massive split.

Fox has been one of the NBA’s premier point guards for years now. Since entering the league, he’s established himself as one of the toughest guards to stop, and as the best clutch player in the game.

His 2022-23 season was a career-defining one: Clutch Player of the Year, All-Star, and All-NBA Third Team honors. More importantly, he helped lead the Kings to their first playoff berth since 2006. The team was back on the map, finally.

But now? The Kings are struggling to build on that success, and at 13-17, things are feeling a lot more like 2006 than anyone wants to admit.

Now, let’s talk about Fox’s situation. He turned down a hefty extension offer this past summer, making it clear he wanted to see Sacramento’s direction before fully committing to the long haul.

“I want to make sure that we’re in a position to try to win in the future,” Fox told Draymond Green on his podcast. “Are we looking like we’re continuing to get better year after year, and are we going to be able to compete at a high level?”

Translation: He’s not here for rebuilding; he wants to win, and he wants to win now. If Sacramento can’t figure out how to turn things around, expect De’Aaron Fox to be on the move.

And here’s where things get really interesting, Harper wrote. Fox’s agent? Rich Paul—yeah, that Rich Paul. If Fox decides he’s done with Sacramento, we all know Paul is one of the best at making those kinds of moves happen.

And with the Kings sitting at 13-17 and failing to build on last season’s breakthrough, Fox’s future is starting to look a bit murky.

Now, rival teams are circling. And as Amick and Slater reported, one team in particular is watching closely: The San Antonio Spurs. If Fox does become available, the Spurs — led by Victor Wembanyama — could be the perfect landing spot.

Think about it: Fox and Wemby? A terrifying combination. Fox’s ability to score efficiently, especially when paired with an elite big man like Domantas Sabonis, would only get better with Wemby. And the Spurs have the assets to make this deal work.

They’ve got young talent, flexibility, and a treasure chest of draft picks, including future swaps with Sacramento that could give the Kings a chance to regain control of their future picks.

Look, it’s early, but we know how the NBA goes — if the Kings keep sliding, Fox’s future in Sacramento might not be long. And if the Kings get serious about dealing him?

The Spurs, with all their assets and the allure of pairing Fox with Wemby, could swoop in and change the course of both franchises.

Sure, the ideal scenario for Sacramento is keeping Fox and continuing to build, even if it means more growing pains. But if the situation crumbles, the Kings and Spurs could end up benefiting from a trade that reshapes the West for years to come.

Fox, Wemby, and the future? Now that’s a pairing a lot of people could get behind.