Sources: Kings open to dealing All-Star De'Aaron Fox ahead of trade deadline
The Sacramento Kings are open to dealing All-Star guard De'Aaron Fox ahead of the NBA's Feb. 6 trade deadline, Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill reports, confirming a report from ESPN.
Fox, 27, is approaching the final year of a five-year, $163 million contract and is due to become a free agent in the 2026 offseason barring an extension. Fox has a target destination in mind, per ESPN. Per multiple reports, he'd like to join Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
Fox declined the chance to sign an extension with the Kings last summer. He talked about that decision in December on "The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis."
“For me, it has all to do with the team, the organization, where are we going,” Fox said. “I want to make sure that we're in a position to try to win in the future because that's ultimately what I want to do.
"I feel like I'm continuing to get better as a player every year. For me, it's are we looking like we're continuing to get better year after year? Are we going to be able to compete at a high level?"
Are Fox's days in Sacramento numbered?
An All-Star and third-team All-NBA selection in 2023, Fox is a candidate to be selected as an All-Star reserve again this season. In 43 games, Fox has averaged 25.2 points, 6.2 assists, five rebounds and 1.5 steals while shooting 46.8% from the floor and 32.4% from 3-point distance.
Alongside three-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis, Fox has been part of one of the better inside-out tandems in the NBA for three-plus seasons. The Kings built around that tandem in the offseason by trading for six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan. But it hasn't translated to contention in a competitive Western Conference.
The Kings earned the No. 3 seed in 2022-23 and made their first playoff appearance since 2006 with Fox and Sabonis as their anchors, then lost in the first round to the Warriors. They failed to advance out of the play-in last season as the No. 9 seed.
With the All-Star break approaching, the Kings entered Tuesday at 24-22 and 10th place in the West, a perilous position that puts them at risk of missing the play-in. With the postseason not guaranteed, trading Fox would signal that the Kings are prioritizing getting a return for their star rather than risk him walking away as a free agent next summer.
