Future Of De’Aaron Fox, Kings Get Murkier, With Spurs Perhaps A Suitor

December 21, 2024

Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox? A potential trade candidate? Well, from the sounds of things, it may not be as unlikely as it once seemed, as relayed by NBA insiders Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

After turning down a three-year, $165 million extension offer from Sacramento this past offseason, Fox is letting it be known that he’s not content with fighting for a lower playoff seed every year.

Instead, he wants a legitimate shot at contention, and so far, the Kings haven’t shown they’re equipped to give him that.

Fox’s agent, the ever-astute Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, met with Kings GM Monte McNair and assistant GM Wes Wilcox on Thursday to discuss the direction of the franchise, and what role Fox will have in it moving forward, per Amick and Slater.

Fox has made it clear that he likes the idea of spending his entire career in Sacramento. He’s invested in the community and has been a crucial piece of the Kings’ recent successes.

But with the team currently sitting at 12th in the ultra-competitive Western Conference at 13-15, his patience is starting to wear thin.

The Kings are still a few games out of a top-five seed, but inconsistency has been their biggest issue. They rank 3-9 in games decided by five points or fewer, a sign of the razor-thin margin for error in the West. Sacramento needs a shake-up, and Fox knows it.

Opposing teams are starting to take notice, with the Spurs positioning themselves as a potential suitor if Fox becomes available. San Antonio, with its promising young star Victor Wembanyama, could be the ideal long-term partner for Fox.

But they won’t be alone in the hunt if Sacramento opens the door to a trade. The Kings have plenty of assets, including players like Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, and Malik Monk, and they’re actively looking to upgrade their roster, especially in the areas of backup centers and wings.

Some of the names Sacramento has reportedly been eyeing include Jerami Grant from Portland, John Collins from Utah, Jonas Valanciunas and Kyle Kuzma from Washington, and Brooklyn’s Cameron Johnson.

While the Kings have shown some interest in Dorian Finney-Smith, bigger names like Brandon Ingram or Zach LaVine seem unlikely at the moment due to the complexity of those trades.

Fox is enjoying one of his best NBA seasons yet, averaging 26.2 points, 6.1 assists, 5 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game.

Despite the strong individual numbers, head coach Mike Brown has pushed Fox to elevate his game even further.

Sacramento is running out of time to prove to Fox that they can build a contender around him. If the Kings don’t make a move soon, they risk losing one of their best players to a team that can offer him the championship hopes he’s seeking.